It has been ten years. Very few things are burned into our memory like the events of ten years ago. Most of us can recall without hesitation exactly where we were and what we were doing when we received news of the planes hitting the towers in New York City, Washington D.C., and the field in Pennsylvania. Most of us have spent a considerable amount of time this week watching videos, interviews, and in various ways reliving those horrifying images and emotions from ten years ago.

It has been ten years. Ten years ago we were asking: "Why?" "Why has this happened?" "Why has God allowed this to happen?" "Where was God when this happened?" "What will we do if it happens again?" "Are we safe?" "Can we ever be safe again?"

It has been ten years. Now what? Where do we go from here? What have we learned? Have we learned anything? Assuming we have learned some things will we use what we have learned to make this world a better place? Will we use what happened to all of us to prove we are stronger than ever, that we are more powerful than others, that we are more deserving than the rest of the world, and that we are more committed than ever to prove that we are invincible? Will we allow the fear of what might happen dominate our culture and control attitudes and actions? Or, will we take what we have learned about ourselves and about our God and use it to make the world a better place for all of God’s creatures?

It has been ten years. In those ten years there have been "9/11's" of many different forms: devastating floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, economic disasters, death, disease, and war. In many ways we wonder if we safer than we were ten years ago. Do you think we will feel safer in ten more years? We have been assured that we are indeed safer. "We have better security measures in place." "We have more efficient warning systems." "We are doing everything within our power to make sure that what happened will never happen again."

Ah ha! Maybe that last statement provides the only real answer to our questions: “We are doing everything within our power.” Let us stop relying on our power, and start depending on the real power.

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 

though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

Psalm 31:14-16,19-20
But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me. 

Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love....
How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.
In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.

Psalm 62
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

Let this be the day that we promise God that "We will never forget!"

Tom