It was 5:45 A.M. Arizona time. I was just starting to stir before my alarm was scheduled to go off at 6:01. Right on cue, the music blasted through the clock and a woman reported a plane had hit one of the Towers of the World Trade Center* in NYC. Not sure how to process what I was hearing, my husband phoned me, just having arrived at work and relayed the same message. Airplane. Twin Towers. New York City.
It’s one of those momentous, historical events forever etched in my brain. I can tell you which nightgown I was wearing that morning and what the weather forecast was for that day. Details that normally would quickly be forgotten, are now forever seared in my memory banks.
While many of us are old enough to recount catastrophic heartbreaking stories from that day, there is an entire generation of young people who will never know the horror of that day. And honestly, if you didn’t personally lose anyone in the events that took place on September 11th, 2001, in New York, Virginia or Pennsylvania, it can simply become a piece of history we file away where dust collects.
My grandson was nine months old when the historic day of 9/11 occurred. He has no concept of the fear that gripped our nation. He has no memory of our churches being filled to capacity in the aftermath. He can’t fathom that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle assembled on the steps of the Capitol pausing for a moment of silence to pray for those lost and to sing God Bless America.
The America we live in today is fighting to silence and prosecute those that choose to pray in public and debates the validity of our National Anthem, that to some, is seen as a hymn promoting violence or racism. The notion of a united body of people who at one time openly stood together as patriots is hard to imagine today.
While I don’t actively pray for another national disaster or a global event that would drive us to our knees in prayer or fill our churches as we seek comfort from The Divine, I can’t help but think, that it is only in the wake of tragedy that many turn to God. History has shown us that once the adversity has passed, our memories are short and the commitment to the Lord or The Church is even shorter.
Our country needs Jesus. Our help comes from the Lord and not politicians or lawmakers. If anything – they are working harder than ever to extinguish our faith, convincing us that The Church is non-essential.
Before the next big thing occurs, we need to commit to praying for our leaders and our country and most especially, The Church. This world is not our home (Hebrews 13:14) but as long as we are here – Bible-believing, Father, Son and Holy Spirit-filled Churches are very essential! Jesus Christ is essential, and we need each other!
Never forget …
“… then if my people will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)
*9/11 Attacks: Facts, Background, Impact, Year | HISTORY
