For the last nine years, families and friends who lost a loved one in an event that shook the world, wake up on this day with a heart heavier than bricks. A terrifying vision played over and over on news stations. Some saw with their own eyes the horror of smoke pouring from above, and others replayed voice messages from a son, daughter, wife, or husband saying their final “I love you”.
I can only imagine the pain in seeing others moving on and living life. Mall parking lots full of busy shoppers, and friends laughing and joking. When everything in you wants to shake sense into others because a piece of your heart has been severed, what do you do.
The reality is, 9/11 is not the world’s only tragedy. Refugees overseas would share stories of their wives and children being raped and cut to pieces in front of their very eyes, BY THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS. Devastation happens all. the. time. And as a Christian, what do you do.
They say of some temporal suffering, “No future bliss can make up for it,” not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.- CS Lewis quoted in The Reason For God.
For the 5th anniversary of 9/11 Tim Keller gave an address that included the following::
On the cross we sufferers finally see, to our shock that God now knows too what it is to lose a loved one in an unjust attack. And so you see what this means? John Stott puts it this way. John Stott wrote: “I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the Cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?” Do you see what this means? Yes, we don’t know the reason God allows evil and suffering to continue, but we know what the reason isn’t, what it can’t be. It can’t be that he doesn’t love us! It can’t be that he doesn’t care. God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it. And therefore the Cross is an incredibly empowering hint. Ok, it’s only a hint, but if you grasp it, it can transform you. It can give you strength.
Thanks for sharing this Gina xoxo
Thank you for sharing this.
Gina, What a truly touching post today. I read it with tears. The quotes you cited were right on. “How can we worship a God who is immune to the everyday pain we experience?” We can because God did experience the suffering and death of His Son and our Lord; Jesus Christ. A tragic day for America, however we have learned so much since that day, and I believe we are a stronger people because of it. Thank you. GOD BLESS AMERICA!