Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Twenty years ago today, where were you living? What were priorities in your life that day? By the end of September 11, 2001, what was your emotional state of mind and heart? What conclusions had you already drawn about countries you likely didn’t know much about as your day began: ‘Afghanistan’, `Pakistan’, Tajikistan’ and others? A new word entered our vocabulary 20 years ago today… TERRORIST! How safe were you feeling, wherever you lived 20 years ago, by the end of the day?
Oh my so much has changed in twenty years in our world, and yet, so much is the same, isn’t it? Recent events in several parts of our world show us there is still a great deal of anger and corruption and greed, even in the halls of government and among those in the highest offices of many countries. September 11, 2001 was a Tuesday. It dawned a beautiful, cloudless day in the northeast of America. Neither you, nor I, nor almost anyone in the world had even the slightest suspicion of what was about to happen within the next few hours, 20 years ago today! People boarded airplanes as normal, and then suddenly… disaster, and our world has not been the same since that morning.
So as you look at your part of the world today, wherever you live in our world, what do you see, as you compare it with 20 years ago today? How has life changed for people where you live? Not just changes in travel, but changes in attitudes of people toward each other, changes in attitudes toward certain people groups or nations, changes in what actions people take to protect themselves. Changes in attitudes toward leadership, especially government leadership. And if the current trends in our world continue, what do you predict for the next 10 or 20 years in the place where you live?
Psalm 14 & Psalm 53 in the Bible each begin with almost the exact same words and they seem so appropriate for today in our world wherever you live: “The foolish person says in their heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
The LORD God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All mankind has turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Ps. 14 & 53:1-3)
As you look at your part of the world, do you see these words to be true? How do you describe attitudes toward God in your city today? Has the awareness of God, the respect for God, the desire to know and understand God, the desire for God to be involved in our world changed very much in your part of the world in the past 20 years? How much have things changed in the schools in your city, or in health care or crime or even the influence of churches in your city?
Now, in contrast to the sad and harsh reality of Psalm 14 & 53, consider these wonderful words from Psalm 33: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for His inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and He sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth. He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do… The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love... We wait in hope for the LORD, He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You.” (Ps. 33:12-22)
So again, I invite you to look at your part of the world, your city, but now through the lenses of Psalm 33. Do you see these words to be truthful in the lives of some people where you live today? Are there some people where you live who ‘fear’ the LORD God? Do some people live in awe of God, and revere Him? Do you see some who long for their lives to honor Jesus Christ? Do you see some people making every attempt to live in such a close relationship with Jesus that they can follow Him in every aspect of their lives and honor Him with every choice, every attitude and action and even every word?
My friends, on this September 11 weekend of remembrance, I’d like to invite you to consider three specific actions…
First: take some time to really evaluate how you and your world have changed in these 20 years.
What is better and what is worse? How has your personal relationship with God changed in these 20 years and how has that affected your character, your attitudes, your choices, your behavior, your reputation, your legacy? Are your life priorities honorable and are you becoming more and more the person you’ve always wanted to be, the person God designed you to be?
Second: take some time to talk with some young folks who were not yet alive, had not yet been born on September 11, 2001.
Tell them your story... where you were when you first heard the news that day. When you first saw the images of those planes flying into the World Trade Center. Tell them how that day impacted you then and how now, 20 years later, you are who you are as a direct result of that day. Give them wisdom that you have gained in these 20 years… wisdom about how to live a God honoring life in a wicked and terror filled world.
Third: I invite you to take some time to pray for the places from which the terrorism came that day… Afghanistan, Pakistan and that entire region of the world. Pray that Jesus will make Himself known there and many, many people would respond to Jesus and experience the life change that He offers!
And pray for the leadership of America as they greatly struggle navigating great challenges in 2021… open borders, COVID, out of control crime, the results of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and much, much more. Pray that those in Washington who do know Jesus will be empowered to lead with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and will draw other leaders to think and lead with God honoring wisdom.
And finally, I have found a worship song to help our prayerful reflection on this day of world changing history… and as we look ahead to tomorrow and beyond, let’s invite Jesus Christ to reign in our lives and in our world!
Today’s Scripture is Psalm 14; Psalm 33.
Choose below to read or listen.
Psalm 14
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Psalm 33
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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