Sokojikara

Japan is experiencing the single largest recovery effort in its history since WWII. This country faces daunting challenges with the possibility of burying over 10,000 people lost in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Not to mention the fact that they are working tirelessly to prevent multiple potential nuclear meltdowns, providing food, water, electricity and other basic necessities to tens of thousands still experiencing physical and emotional aftershocks.

Japanese scholar, Fuji Kamiya described Japan's ability to recover from seemingly insurmountable obstacles following WWII with the word sokojikara: a reserve power to overcome threats to sustainability and preeminence. Japan's uncanny knack to demonstrate sokojikara amidst overwhelming odds stacked against them is something to be admired.

Potential threats in life come from a variety of places:

• Uncontrollable situations
• Unaccountable leadership
• Ugly (negative) people
• Unacceptable excuses
• Unexpected problems

What do you do in times like these?

Philippians 4:13 reminds me that Jesus is my sokojikara - my reserve power who gives me strength in a time of need. We all need to plug into a power that is far greater than our natural strength. Supernatural power. Jesus is that strength. He's a reservoir of peace in a tumultuous times. A savior who rescues the perishing.

I pray that Japan will cry out to Jesus is their time of need. I pray that churches, pastors and people in need, wherever they might be, will find their strength and solace in Jesus - the sokojikara.