Tsunami Survivor

The scene is unforgettable, containing both massive destruction and hope at the same time.  There is a sea of debris, uprooted trees, parts of houses, hulls of ships.  And in the midst of it all, barely visible, is a tiny figure waving a red cloth at an approaching boat.  Sixty year-old Hiromitsu Shinkawa is rescued after 2 days of clinging to his roof, all that is left of his home.  Incredibly he was able to latch onto a piece of the roof, as a tsunami completely submerged his city and swept him 10 miles out at sea. 

This past week we’ve all been transfixed watching as first an 8.9 earthquake hit Sendai, Japan, followed by a series of massive tsunamis, and now the danger of a meltdown in several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant.  Each event is a major catastrophe on its own, but collectively they present a situation that seems humanly unbearable.  And we watch the Japanese people enduring so much grief, pain and uncertainty, and we want to help them in any way we can.

I think part of the reason we are so touched by their struggle against the mounting negative odds, is that we all have to face and weather tsunami seasons in our life.  I don’t mean a literal tsunami. But a negative event, or a series of them, that leaves us like Hiromitsu Shinkawa, clinging to the wreckage of what we thought was our safe, secure life, wondering if any ray of hope will ever shine on our circumstances again. 

It may be getting notice at work that we’re being laid off, suffering betrayal at the hand of a friend, hearing the doctor pronounce a serious diagnosis over us, or losing a family member to death.  As waves of disbelief, sadness and pain repeatedly wash over us, we wonder how much more we can endure, and whether life will ever feel good again.

 Jesus knew that we would face tragedy, heartache and pain in life.  No one is completely spared.  Yet He wanted us always to have hope, and to be assured that we do not have to face our personal tsunamis alone.  He tells us in John 16:33: “In the world you will have tribulation, distress and frustration.  But be of good cheer.  Take courage and be confident for I have overcome the world.”  And in John 15:16 Jesus promises us: “I will ask the Father, and He will send you a comforter, helper, standby and One who will strengthen you, even His Own Spirit who will remain with you forever.” 

God wants to give us His Spirit to overcome the tsunamis of life.  He wants us to be tsunami survivors and thrive.  He assures us: “When the enemy brings tragedies and disasters, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against them and put them to flight.” (Isaiah 59:19b)

God’s Spirit doesn’t automatically enter your life and fight for you; you must invite Him in.  When you do, He will enter with His comfort and strength and see you through whatever may happen.  Invite Him in today, and begin to experience the life of hope and joy that only He can give!

Come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM as our guest speaker Cindy Jacobs discusses how we can speak words from God into the lives of others.  Her sermon “Prophetic Evangelism” is part 3 in our current series, “Preparing for the Harvest.”