Galatians419: Remembering September 11th

By Allen White

You keep track of all my sorrows.

You have collected all my tears in your bottle.

You have recorded each one in your book.

My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.

This I know: God is on my side!

I praise God for what he has promised;

Yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

What can mere mortals do to me?

I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,

and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.

For you have rescued me from death;

you have kept my feet from slipping.

So now I can walk in your presence, O God,

in your life-giving light. Psalm 56:8-13

Do you remember exactly where you were when the events of September 11, 2001 took place? We were living in California, so the tragedy began to unfold at an earlier hour for us.

I began to drive away from our apartment toward the church. Instead of music, the radio station was running a news story describing what had already taken place in New York City. I thought, “What in the world is this?” It seemed like a “War of the Worlds” kind of program. “Was this real? What was going on? What was this station doing?”

When I reached the office, our small staff was gathered in the hallway. They had watched the news on television that morning and filled me in. I got back in my car and drove home to share the news with my wife. We don’t start our days watching television, so she didn’t know.

I walked in the door and broke down. My wife didn’t know if something had happened to me or what. I told her of the tragedy. We held each other and cried, then switched on the news to see what was happening. We watched the pictures of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center as they played over and over again. Newscasters, bystanders, fleeing employees – everyone was in shock and disbelief. Things like this didn’t happen to America.

One plane crashing accidentally would have been horrific enough. But, this was a sinister plot by enemies of our country. How could this happen? Who would do this?

That next Sunday everybody was in church – everybody. It was as large as an Easter crowd. We thought we were safe. We might have thought we were invincible. America was mourning. We were vulnerable in a way we had never counted on. This event shook us to our core. We desperately reached for God.

In the last 10 years, our country has been at war with the forces behind that attack. Our economy has faltered. So many are jobless. Some are beginning to lose hope.

My children have never lived in an America that was at peace. Our oldest was born two months after September 11^th. While everything changed for us, this is all that my children have ever known. They don’t long for the days of Ronald Reagan like the previous generation longed for the days of Truman and Eisenhower. This is all my children have ever known.

But, here’s the thing – whether at peril or at peace, God never changes. He doesn’t prevent every bad thing from happening. Evil is in season in this world. But, one day, evil and every person it’s attached to will be removed from this earth (Revelation 20:10). In the meantime, God is patient not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). You see once the choice between God and evil is removed, salvation will no longer be an option. Destinies will be set for eternity.

Suffering is part of life on this earth. We suffer physically. We suffer emotionally. We suffer as a consequence of our actions. We suffer because of others. In our suffering, we have fellowship with Christ (Philippians 3:10).

Jesus knows what it’s like to hurt. Jesus understands suffering. And, one day, Jesus will appear with power and justice and right every wrong (Revelation 19:11). Until that day, Jesus desires to save every sinner and turn every evil person into a righteous one.

They don’t deserve it. But, then again, neither did we.

For all of the brave passengers, flight crews, and first responders, we pause to honor you this day.