Praying in Japan

Last week we heard how at a gathering of 24-7's international leaders God spoke about Japan, that 'the time was now' and we needed to commission and send the wonderful Jon Petersen back to the land of his birth to help the church to pray. This is his first update. 

Saints and others...  Well I'm in Japan, in the swirl and swimming upstream.  After a long trip, no sleep, and a long train ride to the CrashJapan team hub in Saitama Prefecture... I"m doing GREAT!!   The CrashJapan team is a network of missionaries and Japanese coordinating a massive response to the needs in northern Japan.  This Friday we'll be gathering with nearly 1000 believers in Tokyo to pray, inform and mobilize the efforts in the Sendai region.  Their website is one of the most informative sources of information and encouragement currently available. Check it out!  

Today I was able (with help of two young brothers) to launch the first "9/3.5" Prayer Room. (We have three and a half days left in this facility and nine hours a day in the office until Friday.)  Nearly 50 volunteers are coordinating the relief effort, media communication and volunteer coordination for the project - all with laptops in front of them and bleary eyes they need prayer.  They are now cycling to the Prayer Room, praying for each other and praying for the four loves: 

• Love for God,

• Love for the Church,

• Love for the Japanese and

• Love for the land. 

With so much busyness it was an uphill struggle, but we finally found a room, the materials, and the permission to set up the prayer space - now we're flying and people are loving it.  Pray that people will see that all successful Kingdom work comes out of prayer!  This is still a fairly new concept here, especially in the light of the immense sorrow and pressure of the immediate constantly mitigating against being with God.

Now the the CrashJapan team is considering setting up five hubs inside the quake zone that will receive the relief supplies, distribute them, provide grief counselling and set up prayer stations at each location.  This last is the least developed, yet there is a need to engage Japanese believers in being onsite to pray for the workers but especially to provide prayer for the homeless and the sorrowful in each of the hub areas.  Andy Game and I are now discussing strategies for setting up prayer stations in the quake zone and setting up a strategy for mobilising Japanese and foreign teams to come and man prayer rooms at each "centre."   This will take a lot of wisdom and some miracles from the Lord himself - pray.

My goal in all of this is to be led by the Lord to the right people in Japan who will be able to lay long term foundations in the church through prayer and unity for the sake of the lost.  With so much energy rightly focused on the current needs, I'm convinced nonetheless, that we need to build primarily for the future. 

The Japanese are shell shell-shocked, out of control of their environment and being aided by foreigners - all things they find exceedingly difficult.  Pray for the Spirit of God to invade the vacuum in the hearts of people.  There is mounting unity, focused and meaningful response to the overwhelming needs and a rising sound of prayer from the church.  There is a long way to go, but the pervading feeling is that this is the time for Japan.

Kilde . Jon Peters.

A prayer for Japan

Where the waters of destruction have flowed
Lord, send the river of life
Where the land shifts and the earth’s plates slide
Lord, send Christ the chief cornerstone

Where the idols have fallen
Lord, raise up Jesus crucified
Where the pagan temples were destroyed
Lord, raise up Your church

Into the raw, gaping wounds of this people
Lord, pour the healing oil of Your Spirit
Into the chaos of unbelief and deception
Lord, shine the light of Your truth

Into the emptiness of materialism
Lord, send Your presence
Into the grief and terrible loss
Lord, flood Your love

Awaken Your church from slumber and unbelief
Let her rise in obedience to the Spirit and the Word
And prophesy Your love, grace and truth
Let them raise Jesus high that all men shall be drawn to Him

Out of disaster, Lord bring forth life and hope
Let the land of the Rising Sun
Become the land of the Risen Son.