Love Remembers

“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.  And He humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” –Deuteronomy 8:2-3. “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.” –Isaiah 9:10.  “Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God:  I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” –Isaiah 41:10 (ESV).

Since September 11, 2001 we say the date 9/11 or September 11 or “day of infamy” and we remember the terror  (and terrorists) that struck America on that fateful day.  By review, we recall the four US passenger planes taken over by terrorists and aimed at targets.  American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were directed into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and both towers collapsed from the raging fires within two hours. American Airlines Flight 77 was aimed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia (greater Washington, DC).  United Airlines Flight 92 was targeted for the US Capitol building in Washington, but due to quick action on the part of some passengers, the flight crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pa.  Almost 3000 were killed, including the 246 civilian passengers on the planes and the 19 terrorists.  You can probably remember with clarity where you were on 9/11, how you heard the news, and the shock-waves that emanated from the fear and sadness that gripped our nation and the world.  Suspicion of the atrocities quickly fell on the al-Qaeda terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden.  In 2004 he claimed responsibility, giving three motives for the attacks: (1) US support of Israel; (2) the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia; and (3) US sanctions against Iraq.  A wave of patriotism swept America.  People responded to new regulations, newer and tougher surveillance measures at airports, and the changes that came with a weakened economy.  People (for awhile) went to church more than usual and turned to God with pleas for our nation and our world.  America stepped up military operations, invaded Afghanistan in an effort to depose the Taliban, the hard-core al-Qaeda stronghold.  It took until 2011 to find Bin Laden and kill him.  The US military assigned to Iraq also assisted in bringing down Saddam Hussein, leader of that country.  The FBI and CIA stepped up operations.  Luggage belonging to Mohamed Atta, one of the hijackers, was not loaded onto Flight 11 but left behind.  In the luggage FBI agents found the list of names of the 19 hijackers and their countries.  Atta himself was from Egypt; one was from Lebanon; 15 were from Saudi Arabia and two from the United Arab Emirates.

Why so much of 9/11 history under the title, “Love remembers”?  Just as the scripture cited from Deuteronomy 8 called upon the children of Israel to remember God’s mercy, grace and love in bringing them out of Egyptian bondage and providing manna for them in the 40 years of wilderness wanderings, so we need to remember as well God’s provision for us during the terrible calamity that struck America on 9/11.  Some skeptics have said, “Where was God when the terrorists struck?  Others have been faithful to enumerate how it might possibly have been worse, with the attacks more widespread and the death toll much larger.  America and the world awakened to the threats that face us in modern civilization.  A 2011 book entitled The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn applies the prophecy from Isaiah 9:10 to the twin towers collapse and the clean-up and rebuilding, as well as subsequent history to other prophecies recorded by Isaiah and others.  Unless we keep our faith strong, fear could overcome us.  Reread the promise in Isaiah 41:10 and thank God for his love and provision.  Remember His goodness, even to a thousand generations!