It wasn’t just the nearly 3000 people that died on our own
soil at the hands of Muslim extremists. It was the shock of it, the disruption
of it, and the way the world was forever changed on that day. It was, seared
into our memories, the sight of jumbo jets crashing like fire-bombs into the
Twin Towers. It was flames and melting steel, and smoke and soot covering
everything and everyone. And we also watched the horrific sight of people
jumping from the inferno behind them into the impossible height below them.
Estimates are that 200 people stepped into the air, knowing it was their last
act of choice on this earth.
I’ll never forget those who ran back into those buildings,
time and again, to try to bring people down. Stories of heroism abound. So many
who wore the uniform, and many who didn’t, gave their last breaths to save
others. There was sacrifice, exhaustion, poignant phone calls, folks going
above and beyond any call of duty. Everybody tried to help everybody. Covered
with soot and grime, skin tones were undetectable and irrelevant. We were all
brothers and sisters, standing, kneeling, and helping together.
For a short time, America came together. We had been
attacked, we were all in shock and in grief and in fear, and we all stood
together. I remember a day when everyone on our block stepped out of their
homes, shone a light, and shyly spoke words of reassurance to one another.
Look, on this day, please don’t bother me with rants about
how evil America is. I’m proud to be an American, and I’m proud of the America
that wept, sacrificed, stood, and overcame. Together.
Today once again buildings are burning, people are
perishing, and enemies are gloating. But this time the tragedy is not marked by
unity and sacrifice for others. This time there is a deliberate attempt to
divide us – to divide families, friends, churches, cities. A whole country.
It’s an attempt to turn us into screaming factions who are willing to do
violence to have their way. It is a cynical, evil, demonic exploitation of a
just cause (racial harmony) with the real agenda of destroying what is good in
order to achieve raw, ugly power.
On this 9-11, I know America is better than this. We have
overcome attacks from within and without, and we did so by putting our arms
around one another and standing against the forces of anarchy, division, and extremism.
Our God has shed His grace upon thee – thee, America.
His grace is limitless, and it will not stop, as long as we continue to turn to
Him. Jesus is the kind of Person who runs into burning buildings and takes the
place of others so they can be free. But He even beat death, and He still
stands with us.
Let’s put our arms around one another again. Let’s stand
together covered by the blood of Christ, under the banner of His mighty Name.
We mustn’t get our marching orders from Marxist haters, from disaffected 60’s
radicals, from tech giants or political parties. For the weapons of our warfare
are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We will
stand together, centered around the Bible, arms around our brothers and
sisters, lifting up Jesus. We will pray, call down God’s armies, love others,
oppose evil, and…we shall overcome.
God bless America.