2 Prayers for JapanScot Bower - 18 Mar 2011

It's easy to forget or to simply run out of words but just a week after earthquake and tsunami and in the midst of a possible nuclear catastrophe Japan and the Japanese people still desperately need our prayers.

Yesterday was St Patrick's Day and as I prayed through Patrick's prayer (part of which my family use in our daily prayer time thanks to the Celtic Daily Prayer book from the Northumbria community) I found myself praying these same words for the nation and people of Japan. Patrick's Breastplate prayer is a prayer of protection:

Christ be with Japan, Christ within Japan,


Christ behind Japan, Christ before Japan,


Christ beside Japan, Christ to win Japan,


Christ to comfort and restore Japan.


Christ beneath Japan, Christ above Japan,


Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,


Christ in hearts of all that love Japan,


Christ in mouths of all who speak of Japan.

The second prayer is from Revolt Towards and is called Tears, Hearts, Hands. You can download the artwork in a higher resolution from their website where they also have versions scaled for smartphone wallpaper. I'm using it on my desktop and phone as a great way to remind me to stop and pray for Japan.

How are you praying for Japan?  Have you found any resources that are helping or reminding you to pray?

However you're praying let's be persistent in crying out to God on behalf of a nation on it's knees.