Yes, We Forgot

Twenty-one years ago on this day a group of dedicated, evil men flew multiple airplanes into multiple buildings killing thousands of Americans. Nineteen terrorists and some 3,000 other people lost their lives. Anyone who was watching it happen back then will never forget those scenes -- never forget the shock, the horror, the tragedy. Most of us also remember the aftermath, the setting down of all sorts of trivial pursuits to pull together and recover. Like so many soldiers in foxholes, there was a push for many to revisit God. We were joined together by a calamity. And that's all behind us now.

On that terrible day, 19 men hijacked 4 airliners to fly them into 4 targets. Two hit the Twin Towers in New York, one hit the Pentagon, and courageous passengers took down the 4th. I remember the talking heads warning that some 50,000 people might be at work in the World Trade Center at that hour. I knew that each one of those airliners could carry over 120 people each. Who knew how many could have been killed at the Pentagon? Who knew how many more could have died if that 4th plane hadn't gone down? The numbers were staggering. And then ... they weren't. In the North Tower, 1400 people died, and more than 600 died in the South Tower. Many escaped running down stairs, but, for "reasons unknown," there just weren't nearly as many at work that morning than could have been. On the aircraft with potentially more than 500 deaths, only 265 were killed. There were some 125 people killed at the Pentagon. Others -- bystanders, emergency workers, etc. -- died, but as horrible as those numbers were, they were not nearly as bad as the potential numbers.

No, we haven't forgotten the day. There are still tributes, reminders, etc. Of course, no one under the age of 21 remembers it ... because they didn't see it, but a good part of us still do. It's not the day we've forgotten. We've forgotten the unity we experienced with shared tragedy. We've forgotten that we are one people underneath it all. We've forgotten the mercy that God showed by providentially keeping so many from traveling or working that day. Mostly we've forgotten -- us believers -- that God is the God who causes well-being and brings calamity (Isa 45:7). We've forgotten that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away and, in all cases, deserves our worship (Job 1:21). We've forgotten to pray ceaselessly and give thanks in everything (1 Thess 5:17-18). Let the world forget; let us not forget that God is in control.