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| Yakushima Island, Japan. Image by Casey Yee. |
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A GREETING
My eyes are turned towards you, O God;
in you I seek refuge.
(Psalm 141:8)
A READING
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God's mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
‘therefore I will hope in God.’
(Lamentations 3:22-24)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
This is my comfort in my distress,
that your promise gives me life.
(Psalm 119:50)
A PRAYER
When I think
About the misery
Of those in this world
Their sadness
Becomes mine.
Oh, that my monk’s robe
Were wide enough
To gather up all
The suffering people
In this floating world.
- from an untitled poem by Ryokan
found on the website of dharmanet.org
VERSE OF THE DAY
And now, O Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in you.
(Psalm 39:7)
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| Image by Casey Yee |
The earthquake and tsunami on Japan’s northeastern coast on March 11, 2011 is an enduringly devastating memory whose legacy is still being felt. The impacts at the time led to the shutdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing the release of radioactive contaminants into the surrounding area. The disaster is even still being played out, as in August 2023 contaminated water that had been treated and stored within the plant was controversially released into the sea.
Further south and off the southernmost tip of Japan is Yakushima Island. Yakushima is a wilderness, an UNESCO Man and the Biosphere reserve that lies in the East China Sea. In 2011, the reserve largely escaped the impact of the tsunami but in 2015 the island was experiencing sulfur pollution arriving downwind from manufacturing plants in mainland China. In 2020, the white pines were still affected by pollution, but the reserve itself remains to this day a well-preserved oasis that speaks to the raw beauty of God’s Creation. The oldest parts of the island have endured more than twenty-five hundred years without any sign of tree cutting.
In many places in scripture, we hear stories of contrasting emotion and experience held side by side. In Genesis 1, the Spirit hovers over a vast wasteland; then, within verses, humankind is present in an abundant garden. In today’s reading, we hear of God’s ‘steadfast love’ that never ceases, yet the troubles and hardships of our lives can cause us to doubt God's loving presence. How can we be encouraged to name the contrasts and contradictory realities of our lives and invite Jesus into them? How can we lift up prayers for those still living with the impacts of tsunami and other forms of natural devastation?
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A HIKE THROUGH RAINFOREST
Enjoy a gentle hike through the Yakushima rainforest.
How does God's abundant diversity express itself?
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Resources in today's devotion:
Scripture passages are taken from the New Revised Standard Version.
To read more about the story of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and ongoing recovery efforts,
here is an article published in 2023.
For more on Noboyuki Tsujii, go to his website.
Ryokan was a renowned 18th-century poet and calligrapher. For more, read a biography about him.
Over its 15 years in Lent, the Lutherans Connect devotions have visited both Yakushima and Fukoshima a number of times. March 12, 2011 was the very first time the devotions adjusted to a world event. In 2015, we refleced on the recovery from the tsunami and the sulfur impacts of pollution on Yakashima. In 2020, the decline of the white pine forests on Yakushima was explored. The impact of the Fukoshima water release was reflected upon in a devotion in the 2024 coastlands Season of Creation series.
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LC† Streams of Living Justice is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!