REMEMBERING 9/11
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| https://www.history.com/articles/9-11-attacks |
Do you have
flashes of time that are indelibly etched on your mind? I do. I see snapshots
of where I was and what I was doing at that very moment. What do I mean? Are you
old enough to remember November 22, 1963, the day President Kennedy was
assassinated?[1]
If so, can you
picture yourself when you heard the news? I was at Orchard Hill Elementary
School, in Mrs. Morris’s class. I can see the speaker on the wall, my
classmates, and where I sat in the classroom. I also saw my teacher visibly
shaken.
While I was old
enough to understand that our President had been shot and subsequently died, I was
not old enough to fully understand the implications or what that meant for our
country.
Fast-forward
twenty-three years to January 28, 1986. I was a young mom, and I can see
myself sitting on my living room floor in front of my TV watching the Space
Shuttle Challenger launch and then explode midair.[2] In
this shocking disaster, sadly, all seven astronauts on board were killed. And
my heart broke.
But then, fifteen
years later, September 11, 2001, I was at my desk at work when Dr.
George came running out of his office and announced, “A plane just hit the
World Trade Center.” I jumped up and followed him back to his office just in
time to witness a second plane ram the South Twin Tower. Almost instantly, we
heard sirens as police, fire trucks, and rescue vans rushed to the scene.
In those
moments of disbelief, the chime of our office door rang. Between patients, we
watched in horror all that followed: the fire, the towers collapsing, news that
hijacked Flight 77 had pierced the Pentagon, and then hearing the brave souls
of Flight 93 had succumbed while thwarting the strike on the U.S. Capitol.[3]
Our hearts sank knowing all those innocent and unsuspecting people
died.
Today is the 25th Memorial
of 9/11.
Beyond the
tragedy of losing so many and this first attack on our homeland, I want you to
see the selfless acts of the First Responders.
Those men and
women took no thought for their own safety, but put themselves in harm’s way to
save others. And in their selfless acts, we get a small glimpse of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
How so?
While Jesus
hung on the cross for your sin and mine, the chief priests mocked, saying, “He
saved others; Himself He cannot save.”[4] But if we think
about it, saving others is exactly what He did.
Jesus said no
one could take His life from Him. He laid it down of His own free will.[5] Why would He do that? Love![6] Jesus allowed the people He
created to take His life by crucifixion so He could save others.[7] But that wasn’t the end.
Jesus chose to
pay sin’s penalty for us. His death, burial, AND resurrection made it possible for
believers who have received His gift of eternal life to go to heaven when they
die, instead of adding one more soul to hell.[8]
Jesus was The Example
of saving others at the risk of our own life, and it takes a very special person
to follow in His footsteps. Our Military, our Police, Firefighters, FBI, ICE
Agents, and ALL First Responders do this every day as they put on the uniform. Brave
men and women choosing to think of and serve others before themselves. But isn’t
this what all HEROES do?[9]
It is. So today, let’s remember the lives lost with great reverence and vow to do what we can to never let this happen again. (See Do Our Part) [10] (Also see Do Our Part – Part 2) [11]
Love in Christ,
Anita
[1] https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president
[2] https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/January-28/challenger-explodes
[3] https://www.history.com/articles/9-11-attacks
[4] Matthew
27:42; Mark 15:31; Luke 23:35
[5] John
10:17-18
[6] John
3:16; I John 4:15-16
[7]
Colossians 1:15-17
[8] Romans
6:23; I Corinthians 15:3-4; John 1:12-13; II Corinthians 5:5-8
[9] Philippians
2:3-8
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