Trying To Remember

From My Perspective - - -

In one’s lifetime, there are particular events and circumstances that are traced indelibly in one’s mind and are remembered for a lifetime. When I was a boy, the Japanese attacked the United States Fleet at Pearl Harbor. The carnage was great and the damage to Naval Vessels considerable. One Battleship stands as a landmark and monument to remind us of the events that took place. The USS Arizona served stateside during World War I. However, the Arizona is mostly remembered because of her sinking, with the loss of 1,177 lives, during the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the event that provoked the United States into entering World War II.  The nation has been called to remember another day - the Tuesday morning a decade ago – 11 September 2001. The day that started out normally – people at work; merchants readying their businesses for another day of commerce; restaurants preparing their food for the physical needs of their patrons; people on airplanes for their flights to particular destinations; etc. And then, at 8:46 A.M. – everything suddenly changed – forever. One of the airplanes was rammed in the 86^th floor of the World Trade Center by a terrorist. Then – shortly thereafter – another plane was rammed into the second tower And then – a third plane was flown into the Pentagon. A fourth plane was crashed at Shanksville, PA when brave passengers made a decision to try to end the carnage that was being perpetrated by terrorists. What were we called to remember?

Besides the devastation caused by the planes that were being used as missiles, we were being called to remember – the total number killed in attacks:  2,983; firefighters and paramedics killed: 343; NYPD officers who died: 23; number of port authority police officers: 37; number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609; estimated number of children who lost a parent that day: 3,051… Who can begin to measure the impact for the extended families of those who perished in these events? Who can comprehend the related maladies experienced by those who searched the ruins for any survivors and/or body parts? Who can estimate the psychological struggles experienced by many of those who were there and were involved? Who will soon forget his horrendous event and the scar that it has left? The 9-11 Memorial that has been erected where the World Trade Center once stood will serve as a constant reminder of this attack upon America.

One of the criticisms to the Memorial Event held yesterday was the decision made by Mayor Bloomberg to not include any prayer and no representation by the first responders. It seemed that it would be without any religious reference at all. To his credit and with the gratitude of many, President Obama began the proceedings with the reading of Psalm 46 – “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us…Come, behold the works of the Lord…He makes wars cease to the end of the earth…Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us…”

Rudy Giuliani, New York City's mayor at the time of the attacks, came up to the lectern, where he read a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to win, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace…”

There is much to remember – not the least of which is that the eternal God is still able to deliver – and He will – if only one would turn to Him and seek His face. The Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies issued a list of Prayer Needs for this day of remembrance, the first of which was: “Pray For Revival  In The Church, Because the Greatest Danger is NOT Islam’s Strength – but – The Weakness of Christianity.” Try To Remember – And If You Remember – Then Follow Jesus Christ!  Consider these things with me!