9/11

Sue and I were in Northern India on September 11, 2001. Not far from the Pakistani border, we had just finished sharing in a pastors' conference and returned to our hotel room to watch CNN and saw the second plane hit the World Trade Centre. We sat for hours, watching at first in disbelief and then horror as the events unfolded. Some of those images are indelibliy ingrained in my mind. For Sue is was even harder - she was so far away from her family, and at a time such as this, family is more precious than ever. To make matters worse, the nation we were in reacted in different ways. Where we were, there was genuine dismay and sympathy, but further south people came out into the streets to rejoice. God really intervened and Sue was able to fly out as scheduled when all US airlines were grounded. She was one of the few U.S. passengers who managed to get on another airline. Both of us learned some important things that night and on this fifth anniversary, I thought I would share these.
1. My world perspective changed - the world became a smaller place somehow, with no nation out of range of evil, and no one nation could afford to be isolated. We need each other.
2. The ONLY safe place is to be where God wants you to be and to be walking close to Him.
3. There is no guarrantee of TOMORROW. Live today wisely, compassionately, generously.
4. Refuse to lose! Don't let evil destroy your PEACE, your ability to ENJOY life, your sense of humour, and above all, your sense of PURPOSE! As a Christian I know that my life is in God's hands - and that's the safest place I can be!
So on this Sept 11 I remember those who died in the towers and in the planes. I remember the bravery of the rescue forces and the incredible way they perservered untiringly until there could be nothing further done for those still lost. I remember the nations that trembled and the continuing changes that commenced on that day. But most of all I remember that God is my hiding place. Check out Psalm 18:1,2