This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Rooted – Grounded in Grace (CLICK HERE)
Never forget.
For the past 23 years, this phrase has been at the top of America’s mind at the anniversary of 9/11. For those old enough to remember, we remember where we were when we heard the news of the planes flying into the World Trade Center Towers. We remember spending most of the rest of the day watching the news, listening to the radio or talking to family and friends.
Disbelief.. Confusion. Fear. Uncertainty.
All of these emotions I remember having those hours of 9/11/01.
Evil brings confusion, fear and uncertainty.
So where did we turn?
News anchors were just as confused as we were.
Neighbors were just as fearful as we were.
Government officials were just as uncertain as we were.
We turned to the one thing that can bring clarity in confusion, peace amidst fear, and certainty in the middle of uncertainty.
The Lord and his Word.
That evening our small group of Christians in Cary, NC gathered in the hotel conference room we were renting to seek the comfort, peace, and guidance that only God’s word can bring. It didn’t answer the question of who did this. It didn’t answer the question of how this could have happened. But it did answer the question of what our hearts needed. We needed certainty that the Lord was still in control. We needed peace that reminded us that Jesus has overcome evil and Satan and we needed clarity about where to turn when we felt so weak and helpless.
So 23 years later we turn to the same source of clarity, peace and certainty, not just for the answers to 9/11 but to all of life.
We don’t know when the next national tragedy will happen. We don’t know when the next personal challenge will occur. But we do know that the Word of the Lord is always there for God’s people, a country and the world to find clarity, peace and certainty in the midst of evil that creates confusion, fear and uncertainty.
So here’s a couple verses to bring to your heart today to have at the ready when your heart needs comfort, peace and clarity.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
May the peace, clarity and certainty only the Lord gives be with your heart on this anniversary of 9/11.
Prayer: Lord, in the midst of evil that creates confusion, fear and uncertainty lead us to always turn to you and your word for the clarity, peace and certainty our soul longs for. AMEN.