![]() ![]() That's what this service is all about and in that faith we have the strength to endure something as difficult and horrendous as what we have experienced this week. And I believe we are in the process of starting to rebuild on that foundation. " Yes, our nation has been attacked, buildings destroyed, and lives lost.īut now we have a choice: whether to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually as a people and a nation-or, whether we choose to become stronger through all of this struggle-to rebuild on a solid foundation. Therein lies the truth of that old hymn, "How Firm a Foundation. Yet, underneath the debris, is a foundation that was not destroyed. When damaged, those building eventually plummeted to the ground, imploding in upon themselves. Those majestic towers, built on solid foundations, were examples of the prosperity and creativity of America. We all watched in horror as planes crashed into the steel and glass of the World Trade Center. Several years ago at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Ambassador Andrew Young (who had just gone through the tragic death of his wife), closed his talk with a quote from the old hymn "How Firm a Foundation. I've become an old man now and I've preached all over the world and the older I get the more I cling to that hope that I started with many years ago and proclaimed it in many languages in many parts of the world. The story does not end with the Cross, for Easter points us beyond the tragedy of the Cross to the empty tomb that tells us that there is hope for eternal life, for Christ has conquered evil and death, and hell. I know the heartaches and the sorrows and the pains that you feel. And from the Cross, God declares, "I love you. For the Christian, I'm speaking for the Christian now, the Cross tells us that God understands our sin and our suffering, for He took them upon Himself in the person of Jesus Christ our sins and our suffering. Here in this majestic National Cathedral we see all around us the symbols of the Cross. And that's why each of us needs to face our own spiritual need and commit ourselves to God and His will now. I doubt if even one of those people who got on those planes, or walked into the World Trade Center or the Pentagon last Tuesday morning thought it would be the last day of their lives. We never know when we too will be called into eternity. This event reminds us of the brevity and the uncertainty of life. I think this was exemplified in a very moving way when the members of our Congress stood shoulder to shoulder the other day and sang, "God Bless America." So those perpetrators who took this on to tear us apart, it has worked the other way. A tragedy like this could have torn this country apart, but instead it has united us and we have become a family. What an example New York and Washington have been to the world these past few days! None of us will ever forget the pictures of our courageous firefighters and police, many of whom have lost friends and colleagues, or the hundreds of people attending or standing patiently in line to donate blood. The lesson of this event is not only about the mystery of iniquity and evil, but secondly, it is a lesson about our need for each other. Who can understand it?" He asked that question, "Who can understand it?" And that is one reason we each need God in our lives. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. It speaks of evil as a "mystery." In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 it talks about the mystery of iniquity. The Bible says God is not the author of evil. I have to accept, by faith, that God is sovereign, and He is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering. I have to confess that I really do not know the answer totally, even to my own satisfaction. I have been asked on hundreds of times in my life why God allows tragedy and suffering. But God can be trusted, even when life seems at its darkest.īut what are some of the lessons we can learn?įirst, we are reminded of the mystery and reality of evil. We've seen so much on our television, and hear on our radio, stories that bring tears to our eyes and make us all feel a sense of anger. I want to assure you that God understands those feelings that you may have. ![]() Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea" (Psalm 46:1,2, NIV).īut how do we understand something like this? Why does God allow evil like this to take place? Perhaps that is what you are asking now. We're involved in a new kind of warfare and we need the help of the Spirit of God The Bible's words are our hope: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. We've always needed God from the very beginning of this nation but today we need Him especially. But today we especially come together in this service to confess our need of God. ![]()
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