Quaking in Japan

It was four thirty in the morning when I was awakened by an unusual creaking in my hotel room. I thought I was dreaming in surround sound or I was snoring too loud I woke myself up. Then I realized my room was shaking. It’s bad enough that my room was claustrophobically tiny now it was shaking at the 6.5 intensity quake.

I lay in bed trying to listen for people and what they do in Japan when you find yourself in such a situation in the tenth floor. No one woke up or at least I thought no one did as no one moved. There were no rustlings in the hall-way. Three minutes later and still no one was alarmed. No calls from the front desk.

Below you will find a video of the seismic (vibrations) of the earth in the nation of Japan from February 2011 to the fatal day of March 11. It is a possible explanation of why no one moved that morning.

Recorded by the Japanese government the monitor shows that thousands of minor tremors and earthquakes took place in Japan during those months.

You will notice that on Wednesday February 16 (14 seconds into the video a rather large circle and clicking sound occurred in the same location of the tsunami almost a month prior). Life went along as usual with minor tremors and quakes, then a week a later in the same location another big circle and click occurred.

On March 9, two days before the catastrophic tsunami a rather strong quake occurred yet in the same spot. Two days later as you will see in the video after the strong earthquake came a flurry of tremors numbering over four thousand ensued on March 11.

The rest of the video shows the extent of the damage and the relief measures our Every Nation churches in Japan took to help those who have been affected by the disaster.

In life there is one promise no one wants. It is recorded in the twelfth chapter of the book of Hebrews:

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:26-27

The shaking of our lives is a promise. It will come. The goal of the shaking is simply to take us to the place where nothing remains except the One that cannot ever be shaken – Jesus.

As I lay in bed in the three minute quake ride that rivaled Universal studios version, I prayed: “Lord: if this be the day then give me the grace to endure. Please take care of Marie and the boys. If You could, please make it quick, don’t want to get stuck here in rubble would much rather be with You in eternity. Thank You Jesus – it seems You still want me here.”

Then I went back to my nice peaceful slumber.