Remembering 9/11...

Eight years ago... It was a beautiful sunny day in Wake Forest, North Carolina. I had just sat through my two morning classes: Marriage & Family and New Testament... feeling like a sponge my first semester of seminary at SEBTS. As I walked from class towards the chapel, I remember having a strong sense or desire come over me to skip the service that day. So I turned around and headed back to my car. As I cranked the engine of my green Volkswagon Jetta (I miss that little ride), the radio came on. Listening as reporters shared the disturbing news of the planes striking the twin towers, more breaking news... reports that the pentagon had just been hit.... I remember the shock of it all while sitting in my car in the parking lot. I immediately picked up my cell phone to call the person of first concern - my father. Although he had retired from the pentagon in '97, he still has regular appointments or meetings for his work. I'll never forget that moment sitting in my car anxiously awaiting his answer. He did. In fact, his first words upon establishing a connection were, "I'm in Alabama." He was already in military plan-of-action mode, while I melted away in tears... tears of relief and tears of deep grief....

As the hours progressed, my roommates and I huddled around our little tv with rabbit ears trying to understand what was going on. My sisters (one in Colorado, two in SE Virginia) and I kept tabs on the situation, while mom went directly to help at the church. As soon as my classes were finished for the week, I loaded up and headed home to Stafford to be with family and friends. How sweet it was to gather with the body of believers.... to hear testimonies that Sunday morning of deliverance from smoke filled corridors of the pentagon from church members... to mourn together to loss of loved ones and the sobering reminder of the brevity of life...

"What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." James 4:14b

A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "what shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:6-8

AND the Sovereign grace of our God... the future glory... HOPE in a hopeless world....

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." Romans 8:18-25

Sola Scriptura * Sola Fide * Sola Gratia * Solus Christus * Soli Deo gloria

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