Everywhere you turn, being the 10th anniversary of 9/11 there are stories, discussions, and general chatter about 9/11.
How do you feel about it? When you see the images do you remember the fear and unimaginable confusion of that day? Do you remember the courage and “can do” attitude of all those who struggles to get to freedom and those who aided in their rescue?
That day I watched the first plane hit on the replay of Good Morning America then watched live, the second plane hit as they were reporting about the first. I wasn’t fearful but determined. People were going to be afraid and they needed to know that God will give us peace in the storm and hope in the hopeless situation. I went to the television station and immediately went on air with a “prayer alert”. For the next four days, I was on air almost constantly giving reports of hope and life and lifting prayers for the traumatized, wounded, and fearful. We were a communications hub for the nation; many stations both Christian and secular were carrying our signal that week looking for answers and hope in the middle of the tragedy. It was tough, it was tiring, but it was Jesus’ hands extended.
As Christians, our job is to be the calm in the storm, the light on the hill, the hope in despair. We might not have the time to focus on our personal needs because we are busy “laying our lives down for our friends”. September 11, 2001 was a very scary day, but it was not scary for God. His heart broke as men in the name of some other god, took the lives of over 3000 people that day. The Muslim clerics proclaim those that would do this have hijacked their faith. I question their sincerity of that belief; we don’t hear their voices condemning these and all the other acts of violence and terrorism done in the name of their god.
How should we react to such violence? I am afraid in some ways we have acted just like the terrorist. Abu Ghraib prison incidents, torture for information, and the dehumanization of our culture through fear and xenophobia are not the answers. The terrorists who are doing this are pawns of a much greater deception. This battle is a spiritual one of which I believe America has failed. It is the truth that sets men and women free.
We must be wise as a nation and protect our people from further attacks and I am grateful for those who have laid down their lives to do just that however our motivation must not be fear but resolve. The keys to defeating terrorism are found in the Bible.
First it is perfect love that overcomes fear, not torture and more violence. Don’t get me wrong; our government is tasked with the job, according to Romans 13, to protect the people We can’t protect or live in, fear. Because we love, we protect.
We are called to care for the poor. Many believe that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality but Ezekiel tells us they were destroyed because of the lack of care for the poor. Many in the countries were the terrorist are based are extremely poor and they are taught that American is a selfish and whoring nation, full of all kinds of filth. We must teach them differently.
The greatest job we need to resolve to accomplish is sharing the truth. People perish for a lack of knowledge, Hosea writes. Many men, women, and children are sacrificing themselves in the name of a god who they do not know and for a cause that leads them to hopelessness. We have the truth, Jesus is the truth, and we must do a better job of sharing that truth. The truth is, Jesus Christ is Lord and God. He is alive! He is a miracle working God.
There have been times I have been grieved by the American church’s reaction. I was grieved in 2000 when Y2K was going to hit that people were hoarding food and guns to protect themselves. It is OK to set aside food for the future but bare in mind, it is all God’s so if someone comes to your table in need you give. Jesus said that, it is part of being His disciple. Muslims need to know the real Jesus, not the one their leaders have told them about. If we live in fear, perhaps their god is greater! If we hoard, perhaps their god is better, or perhaps we don’t really know our God and should get to know Him better.
Where are you with your relationship with the Lord? Are you living in fear, anxiety, anger, or bitterness? None of these are part of the fruit of God’s Spirit they are fruit of the flesh. 9/11 was a horrible day but with each storm we can bring peace for every hopeless situation we can bring hope. Allow that to be your testimony to 9/11.
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