Each one of us here today has those specific and unique events in our life that have shaken us and in some way defined who we are. Ten years ago our entire nation shared in one single event that undoubtedly we can all look back on and know we are different. Different as individuals, yes, but changed as a nation; as a people we encountered a tragedy than no one in this country could escape. On September 11, 2001 the world changed forever.
I remember being on the top floor in the highest building in the Rio Grande Valley looking out on a bright crisp morning, a clear blue sky, attending an executive meeting, trying to keep my mind on the discussion at hand when someone interrupted with the news of what had occurred in New York. I remember taking mental inventory of all our loved ones and how this event would unfold and possibly affect them. I remember worrying most about my family in San Antonio with our armed forces presence here. I recall most the peace and calm of my spirit as the Lord assured me that me and my household would be safe through this ordeal and at the same time a spirit of mourning and compassion over the lost souls and the families impacted by these horrific events that were unfolding rapidly before our eyes, an event that rattled every single heart in America.
I speak to you today as an American who like many of you drew on our faith and the Comforter of that Faith on September 11th. I remember Him, that same Spirit, Who rose up within the heart of this nation, I remember the public prayers, the fear and reverence for God, and the compassion that rested upon our people. I reflect on that day, these ten years after the fact, only one word comes to mind. Strength.
Our country was attacked and we suffered severely. They attacked what they saw as national symbols of our strongholds of military power and our economic prosperity. Our enemy no doubt tied the twin towers as our tower of Babylon, the making of a name unto ourselves and the Pentagon as our tower of Hananeen and Meah, the towers of fortification and protection for Israel. America did not let this catastrophe end with the aftermath of destruction. We, the United States of America, lived up to our name and united around our common grief and stood tall as a country. America was created by strong faith in a Strong God by men and women persecuted by common and similar tragedy that would break a common will. They valued justice, freedom, truth and what was right and what was honorable. A Heritage who sought to enter into a land of peace where Gods rest would prevail. They understood the lengths and widths necessary to protect those values. Now 235 years after their legacy, that same will, that same spirit is alive and must continue to prevail in this country, and it was just 10 years ago today that an attack on those freedoms awakened The Truth. The Truth that we have an indestructible Tower which is a Tower of Protection, A Strong Hightower of Salvation, The Name of the Lord is a Strong Tower, that the righteous may run to and not be afraid. He is Our Strength and the Cornerstone of the faith that built this nation. We as His Church and as His People must be the Banners of that Truth in our society, We must exhibit His Righteousness as a multicolored robe of compassion and mercy, We must be the Healers and Comforters in those times of tragedy and despair, We must be a provision to the widow, to the orphan, to a struggling brother or the stranger traveling through our nation. We must exhibit the justice of His law through the compassionate grace of His Son breaking every burden and setting the captives free, for those who are at liberty in Christ are free indeed and we are a free people with the Liberty to exhibit God in all His excellence. We must carry forth that bravery exhibited by everyday citizens that sacrificed themselves for the preservation of that legacy for the generations to come. Remember the New Yorkers that hurled themselves into the smoke and flames to retrieve their fallen countrymen, and the men and women that overturned the suicide hijacker in flight 93 and selflessly saved our Capitol at the cost of their own lives. These brave souls put themselves in the midst of danger to safe guard those same principles that so many soldiers sacrificed for since the dawn of our nation and still do today. These brave citizens may have not worn a uniform; they were valiant warriors just the same
I am so proud to be an American today because of who we proved ourselves to be under such horrific circumstances. Unlike any other time in my life I witnessed our nation rally around goodness, faith, and hope. Do you remember all the "God Bless America" slogans that popped up soon after the attack, and the surge of prayers that were offered up, it was incredible, and we need with all His Strength to continue to be that America and more today. God is a living God and God of the Living, He will do for this country what His Word says, and His Word is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever. We will in this country and will continue to prosper so long as we Trust Him, Fear Him and Let Him continue to use us as the defenders of His people Israel. As a nation we saw the face of evil, and we turned to the grace of God. Psalm 91 reads:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my High Tower, my God, in whom I trust.”
my High Tower, my God, in whom I trust.”
I remember when the entire U.S. Congress joined hand in hand on the Capitol steps to word a prayer for our safety. Party lines didn’t matter, opinions didn’t matter, money didn’t matter, and instead we all paused, set aside our differences and focused on our huge similarity, being American.
Helen Keller once said "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering, the soul is strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." And looking back on that day few words are as truer. So today as we remember the attack of September 11, 2001, and the near 3000 lives that were taken from us, remember the strength that we share on this day. Remember the pain we felt, but the ambition that was inspired, and certainly how we have succeeded in defending freedom.
