It was school picture day. For me, the elementary music teacher in a small Christian School in the Detroit area, that meant my normal routine would be somewhat unpredictable because the day’s class schedule would be controlled largely by how quickly—or how slowly—the photographer worked.
More importantly, and in reality, that day’s schedule was controlled by the fact that on that very morning, as children in Detroit smiled into a camera that captured the innocence of a single moment, thousands of lives in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania were, without warning, being deprived of the opportunity to experience another moment.
Though I wish that the clatter of my fingers on the keyboard was the result of being able to somehow type out a well-worded explanation for why God allowed this dreadful event in the history of America to happen—a question that still lingers these twelve years later—I am unable to do that. Only God knows and understands His ways. I understand human ways and human reactions, and I know what I would do—or what I hope I would do—if faced with world-changing decisions.
But I’m not God. The fact that I don’t “get it” makes Him all the more amazing to me because I know that He does truly “get it.” He sees the big picture.
And so I trust Him in this moment with a trust He earned not by hatefully causing death but by lovingly suffering and enduring His own cruel death at the hands of others. For in that moment, He provided the forgiveness I so desperately need for the wrongs I have done and for the sin into which I was born.
So on this 9/11, I will live to honor Him, trust Him, and return that love to Him—for this is the only moment I am guaranteed.
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Where were you on 9/11? What did you learn about or how did you experience the sovereignty of God in that moment? Feel free to share your response in the comment section below. _________________________ Would you like us to e-mail our posts to you? Subscribe to Petals from the Basket by e-mail
I had just dropped my little boy off at preschool when I heard about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. It was so crazy and didn’t make any sense, and not knowing what was happening, I continued on to work. But as soon as it became apparent what was happening, I felt that I had to have my family with me. We all came home and hunkered down, not sure if there would be a nuclear explosion or what (we live just outside of DC.) It was terrible day, but in the weeks and months that followed, we saw faith, and courage, and compassion displayed like never before. Great post!
Kathleen, I love that your family came first! That had to be very frightening—and life-changing—for those of you living so close to the tragedies. Thanks for sharing your memories and lessons from that world-altering day.
Such beautiful thoughts, Brenda and so true. We should live every moment to honor and glorify Him, for you are right, we never know if it will be our last.
Joan, you’re so right: we never know. It seems the older I get, the more I realize that fact. Thanks for taking a few of your moments to read this post!