All I have been thinking about for the last few days is getting ready for our cruise on Monday. Packing, planning, getting the car serviced, and talking about the cruise has really be in the forefront of my thoughts, but today I want to think about something else.
As you are aware, 9 years ago today a group of Muslim extremist murdered over 3000 Americans who's only crime was, being Americans. These men, women, and children got up like they normally do and went to work. I wonder how many of them had a disagreement with someone on their way to work, who got cut off in traffic and flipped a finger at someone, or had a disagreement with their spouse over some minor issues. Who left their home and forgot to tell someone that they loved them or was in too big of a hurry to kiss someone good bye. Even the night before thought about making a phone call just to say, "hi" and put if off until the next day.
Those people, each and everyone went to work as they did almost everyday. Even the dedicated policeman, fireman, and EMS personnel went to work that morning, who deal with emergency situations everyday, never considered what would await them that morning.
Why, why us? What would cause someone to attack us in such a cowardly way? I think most of us would understand if some of our military personnel were attacked. If someone planted a bomb on a base. But these people murdered that morning, they were non-military. Some of them we conservatives, some were liberals, some were Christians, some were Jewish, some were Catholic, and some many have even been Muslim. Why, why them, why us? It just doesn't' make any sense. What did we do to them? Well I'm sure if you asked those who want to see the USA destroyed, they would tell you their radical reasons. We would strongly disagree with them, citing our reasons of how this country is good and how we make world a better place.
There is one thing that sticks in my mind about the days after 9/11. There were a lot of people in this country re-evaluating their lives. There were a lot of people who said, "I'm not going to take life for granted any more, I'm ready to get my life in order." Churches all over the country started opening their doors just for people to come in a pray. They held memorial services, the next Sunday people who hadn't been in church for years walked through the doors.
For a brief time, just a few days, we were united. It didn't matter your political affiliation or the color of your skin. We became The UNITED States of America. What happened? Here's what I believe. We have taken God and put Him out of our lives. We no longer look to God for guidance. We don't read the Bible looking for answers to life's questions. We look to the world, that's how we are brought up. Looking back, the Supreme Court ruling, Engel v. Vitale (1962). This Supreme Court case took school lead prayer out of public schools. Now we have generations of children and young adults that have never darkened the door of a church. They have been searching this world for answers to the questions of life. When I was in school, smoking in the restroom or chewing gum in class was the major offenses. Now, elementary students bring guns to school. Teachers are seducing students. Teachers and school administrators spend a great deal of their time keeping order, dealing with students who have no discipline at home, so they don't in the school. Teachers should be teaching, reading, writing, and math. Not worrying about if a child has a gun in his back pack.
We have lost God in our society. We have lost sight of the Cross. We have lost sight of the Blood that God's Son, Jesus gave up for us. As we remember 9/11 today and we think about those who died in those buildings, on the planes, and on the battle fields to protect the freedoms that we have. Think about the one's who died, unsaved. Who said, "I'll get saved next Sunday."
I pray for the days of old, but not so far in the past. The days when Americans were on our knees, families had dinner together, and attending church on Sunday was the thing that was done. Stores were closed until after church out of respect and because all their employees were at church. How can we get back to those days? It's simple. We have to look to the Cross, we have to see the blood, we have to recognise the sacrifice that Christ made for us on that Old Rugged Cross. He died and bled for our sins. He paid the price that we could never pay. If we want to remember those who died on 9/11, we have to do the things that they didn't have time to because their lives were taken away. Unexpectedly. When they went to work or got on one of those planes that morning, they didn't know it would be their last. They were unable to apologize for that argument, they didn't get a chance to say, "I love you" one last time. I hope that they were ready to step into entirety that day, are you?
Everyday, I make sure that Shirley knows that I love her. We are not guaranteed another day. We think we have time, but do we? The victims of 9/11 thought they had other days.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that none should parish. But have everlasting life." (John 3:16) If you don't know Christ as your savor, seek Him. Call a pastor or another Christian and ask them how you can have everlasting life through Jesus. And if you don't know who to call and you want to talk, Call me. 919-971-9836
God Bless You on this Day. Pray for the families of those who died on this day.
In Christ our Savor,
Rick
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