The recent events have really called us all to reflect. Mourning always shakes us to our knees. That's no surprise. We wonder, “How can this happen?” I heard Dr. Joyce Brothers on the radio today who said that we have lost another freedom... the freedom of fear. It came at such a cost, but maybe we've learned something. Maybe there is responsibility to freedom.

We have the right to be upset. A terrible crime has been committed. Our thoughts turn in many directions. We stare in shock as we watch the tapes of the planes over and over again. How many have said, "It looks like a Hollywood movie?" The sensationalism with which we live in fantasy has turned into reality. But the ending doesn't come as quickly. There is now awe of special effects. What we call entertainment is no fun when it reaches the pitch of reality.

Our country is great. But we've created our own gods in some respect. Aren't there some similarities to the Tower of Babel? This not to say that financial concerns or prosperity is bad. But, we were so proud of our financial symbols. I wonder if we just make ourselves more vulnerable when we do such things. We know that evil is all around us, but we continue to give evil the targets it needs. The god of this country seems to have been materialism... materialism over life itself. That was the perfect target, for materialism has no place in eternity. Life does.

We must be very sure of one thing. God does not make these things happen. Sin is the result of human agendas. God does not bring about death. In fact, he abhors death so much that He sent His Son to conquer it. He saves us from death.

We must start to question why someone would qualify life as to think it worthless and easy to destroy as was done so recently. The people in the plane and buildings were expendable because of the agenda of others. It didn't matter how old they were or what their family status was. They were just a mass of flesh to the perpetrators. But should that surprise us in an age when we ourselves as a country have used the system we have to do the same? We use big words and sterile environments so it doesn't sound so bad. "Life isn't life because it's unborn...or a mass of flesh." But a good argument can rationalize any morals away. We've created a god out of our own political process, our own financial agendas our own conveniences, to take or allow life. Why should it seem so strange that others do the same? We're the best of teachers. We're just not so crude in the way we do it.

Then there's another thought. We grieve over the lives that were lost. Yet some of those people didn't know Christ. There were probably some who's relatives said, “Oh I don't want to bother them with religion because they are ‘happy.’” My prayer is that in that last breath they cried out to a loving Father. But what if they didn't? None of those people had the advantage of time to ponder and reflect on who God is for them at that moment. What will become of them. What will become of us? Do we depend on God all the time? Do we as a country even know and respect Him? We are challenged as to whether we shared God with them. Did someone die without God because one of us did not take the time to share?

Yes, it's time to reflect... very deeply. We still have our breath at this moment. Is our conversion deepening? Is our joy in the real God worth sharing? Do we want to live with God? Are we doing what we can now? If we're not, will we change?

The reality is that God does exist. Oh we can wish Him away and think we've accomplished it. Or, we can say, "God loves everyone... and think that this will create a relationship with Him. A loving relationship is mutual response to the other. God reaches out continually to us all. He reaches out to us as a nation. He reaches out to us as individuals. He reaches out to us through each other...if we will participate. He creates all life and expects that we will respect it as He does. He doesn't ask us or anyone else to qualify it as "disposable." God is our highest value. Human life is the second, for it is made in His image. We have a right to be angry when others see the lives of our citizens as disposable for an agenda. But we must look to our own laws too. We must re-examine our values. Then we must live up to that examination.

The enemy is looking to qualify life. Life must pre-exist quality. Life is the higher value. We know that. We must practice it if we expect others to do the same. Our citizens were "aborted" ruthlessly for an agenda. How many of our unborn fall to agendas or quality?

This tragedy can be a wake-up call to us. It reminds me of a newspaper article written about the time of the bicentennial. Maybe it was prophetic. Maybe it talks about a new Tower of Babel. Are we creating more targets for ourselves? The human soul is indestructible. Buildings are not. The human spirit cannot be destroyed unless there is an inconsistency of values. We cannot expect others to respect our lives if we do not respect them ourselves. We should not be surprised when they don't. The same judgment falls on all who destroy God's gift of life unless there is true repentance and change. As a great nation, we can begin this change by looking to ourselves. We cannot expect to convert others if we can't convert ourselves. At this point, we do not look for vengeance. We look for justice, for others, for ourselves. We look for wisdom.

 
 
 
 

America: “Sow for yourselves justice; reap the fruit of piety; break up for yourselves a new field; for it is time to seek the Lord ‘till he come and rain down justice upon you.’ But you have cultivated wickedness, reaped perversely, and eaten the fruit of falsehood. Because you have trusted in your chariots and your many warriors, turmoil shall break about your tribes, and your fortress shall be ravaged. (Hosea 10:12-14) America, what's happening to you. You're nearly 200 years old and it shows. You look like a fat old man who has eaten much and led a very fast life. You have been very successful. But the lines of your sins shows on your face. You have become power hungry for new pleasures. Like many other civilizations (Ancient Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Greece, etc.) you forgot your family and your little children and you became busy with adultery and fornication. America, look in the mirror of reality and reminisce. Recall the love you had for your children. Remember your self-discipline, your hunger for purity and righteousness. You were not self righteous then. You were not fat and unexercised. You were not lazy. You were not permissive. Recall your humility. Most of all, remember the God of your youth, on whom you would depend on for strength and courage. I know it will be hard America, but lower your heavy bulk to your knees and ask your God for forgiveness. Ask the Lord to teach you once again His ways, and be prepared to follow them. When you rise to your feet, you will find that once again your head has cleared.. The confusion of your many sins will have left you and you can return to your home and your family. It's not too late America. Some of your children are still calling you.  “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” ( 2 Chronicles 7:14 )

 

Life?... or "mass of flesh and matter?"
It's all part of political agendas and convenience of the beholder!
Are we so different? When will it all stop?