Remembering 9/11 & Prayer for Our Nation

 

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001?  I remember it like it happened yesterday. I was in my office at Grace Fellowship Church in West Palm Beach, FL and heard a lady named MaryAnn running down the hall and shouting, “A plane just hit the World Trade Center.” People left their offices and gathered in front of the TV located in our preschool courtyard to watch the reports and witness the next plane hitting the second of the twin towers. Then came the report of the plane hitting the Pentagon… then of United flight #93 crash landing in the field.  We knew that our nation was under attack!  A sense of panic could be seen on the faces of those present. It was not long, before parents arrived to pull their children out of school, just to hold them close and retreat to the safety of their home. Fear was moving quickly across our nation.

I remember in the days immediately following the attack that patriotism was at an all-time high. American flags could be seen flying on houses, businesses, vehicles and almost anywhere they could be mounted. Demand was high and it was difficult to find an American flag in any store -- and God help the person who would dare to disrespect our flag in public! Red, white and blue colors were seen everywhere and on everything. When the National Anthem was played, it was as though every American would stand tall, puff out his chest and feel that sense of being proud to be an American.  Americans laid aside their differences and stood united against the cowardly enemy that had attacked our great nation. The enemy did not attack white lives, black lives, brown lives, Republicans or Democrats; they attacked the United States of America!

In the weeks that followed the attack, churches were full of people seeking answers and comfort to the senseless attacks.  The recruiting offices were full of people enlisting to defend our freedoms. Patriotic songs were being written, patriotic concerts were being sponsored, people were hailing the first responders (including police) as heroes, and funds were being raised for the families of the victims. There was a spirit of unity and patriotism like I had never witnessed in my lifetime.

Today, we remember the 19^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks; but what a difference nineteen years can make!  Today, patriotism seems at an all-time low, our flag is being burned, overpaid athletes kneel during our National Anthem, the NFL promotes segregation by playing 2 national anthems; the divide of racism is growing wider by the day; anarchist thugs are rioting, looting and murdering;  politics are fueling hatred (both parties); and our nation is more divided than I could have ever imagined.  

The United States of America is not black, white, brown, blue, red or any other color – it includes people of every color! America is a nation of diversity. That diversity includes skin colors, languages, ethnicities, nationalities, political parties and so much more. We are not a 3^rd world nation nor a Communist regime that makes changes through coups, revolutions, anarchy or any other primitive means. We are a sophisticated nation with rules, laws and a proven political system that gives each citizen a voice/vote in the direction of our nation.

Today, America finds herself in a much different place than we were on the weeks after 9.11.01, but the of strife and disunity did not happen overnight. Many college professors have been indoctrinating students with Marxism for decades. Many educators have been rewriting history to suit their slant or agenda. Pro-death groups have devalued the sanctity of human life from the womb to the tomb. Helicopter parents have proclaimed their children perfect and have embraced the art of blame shifting. Authorities have been deemed evil and unworthy of respect. The welfare system has created the socialist distribution mentality. People now choose to sue, rather than resolve. The point is that we are simply reaping what we have been sowing for decades and our country is at a point of crisis.

So what is the answer? I suggest there are two, 1) the American Church must humble itself, pray, seek God’s face and turn from her wicked way (2 Chronicles 7:14). Only God can bring peace to our nation, as no political party is going to make that happen. 2) Americans must stop fighting over differences, find unity in our diversity, and rekindle our national pride. The United States of America is still the greatest nation on earth, as proven by those who sacrifice everything to come here.

Today, let us take a few moments to remember the victims, families and heroes of September 11, 2001. Let us also take a few minutes to pray for our nation, citizens, leaders and future.

God bless America!