Do You Remember?

This generation was not yet born on September 11, 2001. They don't remember.

I remember.

I even remember what happened about an hour BEFORE I heard the tragic news. It was a Tuesday, and we were in chapel at the Christian school . . . 

"This is the Day . . . "

It was like any other chapel day at school. The classes filed in from various parts of the school, some chatting, some giggling, some still trying to wake up. The primary class was always late. They squished all together at the end of the pew in front of me, even though there was plenty of room next to their teacher. The little kindergarteners gazed up at the tall high school boy leading the singing. Another teen practiced her skills on the piano, as she played the introduction of the first song, “Beulah Land”. The little kids knew this song well and bellowed out the chorus. After singing a couple more songs, the high school students returned to their seats and their teacher, Mr. Ron Gross, leaned against the podium.

“What was the first song we sang?” This was his usual question and hands wiggled in the air. Getting the correct response, he then asked, “What does Beulah Land mean?” This was a harder question and he had to call on an older child for an answer.

He looked at his watch and asked the administrator, “Is our special speaker here yet?” Receiving a shake of the head, he proceeded to the next song, “Redeemed.” He talked of the wonderful plan God created to buy back his children back from the power of sin.

The last song we sang that morning was “This is the Day that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Mr. Gross gave a thoughtful smile and asked a youngster, “Would you be glad if your bike broke, or if your cat ran away?” The whole first pew of students all shook their heads. “Did God know it would happen?” They all nodded in unison. “God knows everything that will happen. Even if we think it may not be good, it’s all part of God’s plan. We need to trust in His wisdom and not let things upset us or make us angry. ‘This is the day that the Lord hath made.’ We should rejoice in the fact that He is our God and that He is in control of everything.”

The special speaker never arrived, so with a closing prayer, Mr. Gross dismissed everyone back to their classrooms. I thought of his words as looked over my lessons for the day. I wondered what the day would bring our way. As my students sharpened their pencils and opened their spelling books, I wrote the date on the chalkboard, September 11, 2001.

~ ~ ~

Since then, I have heard story after story of people who SHOULD have been in the World Trade Center or on one of the planes, but wasn't (my sister-in-law included) - of others who WERE there and didn't die - and sadly of others who normally would NOT have been there, but were.

God knew all about it. He knew whose lives were destined to be spared or sacrificed that day. All these stories have confirmed in my mind the fact that God is sovereign. He is in control of the minute details of my life. I don't always understand. I don't need to. I only need to trust Him. He knows the big picture. He is just and holy.