The Bible is full of reminders. Reminders of what God has done in the lives of ordinary people just like you and me. How He loves beyond comprehension, brings beauty from the ashes, and continually redeems and transforms His beloved creation.
And in this life, we have simple things that remind us of special times or events in our lives and the lessons that we’ve learned along the way. Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays all cause us to pause and remember our blessings and the faithfulness of our God. I have some little angel pins that my Mom gave me several years ago that always remind me that God is with me through everything I go through—big or small.
Today is a day that we as a Nation have set aside to remember…If you ask anyone old enough to remember September 11, 2001. Chances are they will be able to tell you what they were doing and where they were when they first heard the news that America had been attacked…
Honestly, I don’t remember much from that day or the days that followed (I turned 5 a few days later). Most of what I remember comes from the stories that I’ve heard or the History Channel documentaries that I’ve watched over the years.
There are a million different ways I could go with this. I could talk about the willing sacrifice of so many who went in and climbed the stairs as others were running out. I could talk about the heroes of Flight 93—how they chose to do something—amid the unknown and fear. I could talk about the everyday heroes—the people helping people.
But today I want us to remember not only those things…but also the fact that we as a Nation came together. We saw people and communities hurting and we reached out to help in any small way that we could. No one saw the other’s social status, bank account, or skin color. We looked past all of the superficial stuff—the stuff that in the grand scheme of things doesn’t matter. And we saw people for who they really are. Fellow human beings trying to process the same ugly, heart-wrenching images and stories we were trying to process and we reached out a helping hand or offered an understanding hug.
Amid the shock and fear and sadness, we also realized that we in our own human strength were too weak to shoulder the load. And as a result we reached above to the only One who could really help us in our time of need. Jesus. Jesus was the only One who could really offer the comfort and hope that we as a Nation really needed and craved at that time…
Today I want to encourage you. I encourage you to take time to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. To look back and remember that fateful day that changed us forever as a Nation. But I also encourage you to remember how God was there that day; has been and always will be. Sometimes we just have to look a little deeper.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
–Mr. Rogers
May we be helpers in the name of Jesus…Showing the world we live in His love and grace and mercy; and may we never forget His sacrifice and the sacrifice of those who’ve paid it all for the freedoms and protection that America has!
Until next time,
Bailey Sue
Amen!