'September 11, 2001, is a day that is burned into our memories. In the history of the world, humanity has never been a witness to such horrendous terror via live video footage. It is our generation's dreadful day of infamy. Ten years later, and we have not forgotten the murdered or their families, the heroes or the villains. Terrorist attacks are not isolated to America nor something new but the consequence of something very old. The historic evil of that sad day ten years ago is a symptom of the historic evil of the day of the fall of man.
Since the fall, such sins have been common to all men everywhere, and the works of sinful flesh are evident: terrorist attacks at the hands of committed and conservative Muslims; murderous crusades led by cross-draped and body-armored biblically confused crusaders in the name of Christ; indiscriminate mass murders by fame-seeking, face-masked American high school students; discriminatory holocausts fueled by the psychotic minds of the nationally appointed madmen; and government-supported, socially accepted infanticide in the once-safe wombs of inconvenienced women and their self-centered, irresponsible 'men.'
Although the horrific events of September 11, 2001, sent shock waves throughout the world, our sovereign God was neither shocked nor surprised, and though the world has changed and will continue to change, the one and only God of the Bible has not changed but is forever changing His world by building His kingdom through the advance of the gospel by His sovereign hand and for His own glory.' (Read entire article here.)
Ten Years Later by R.C. Sproul:
'A full decade has passed since America suffered the tragedy of 9/11. Ten years ago, I repeatedly heard the question raised: “Where was God in all of this? Where was God on 9/11 when the planes crashed into the twin towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania?” My answer then was the same as it is now: God was in the precise place on 9/11 that He was on the day before and the day after. He was on His throne then and continues to be on His throne now because He is the Lord God omnipotent who reigns. He reigns day in and day out in consistent manifestation of His immutable sovereignty. God is immutable, unchanging, even though people and cultures continually change...
'The American psyche has no place for a God who judges people or nations. God can bless us, but God forbid He ever judges us.
We are like Habakkuk, who, in his consternation over the fact that God used a foreign power to chasten His own people, stationed himself in a watchtower, demanding an answer from God as to how He could allow such wickedness to prevail. Unlike Habakkuk's reaction when God answered that question in His Holy Word, our lips do not quiver, our legs do not shake, our bellies do not tremble, nor does rottenness enter our bones (Hab. 3:16). Rather than repent in dust and ashes before a holy God, we continue to shake our fists in His face, demanding a more benevolent providence from His hand.
But God does not say to us as Americans: "My country right or wrong." God requires nations as well as individuals to repent of their attempts to be autonomous, sovereign rulers, trying to displace Him. Any nation that seeks to supplant God's sovereignty with its own is doomed. It is doomed to failure, it is doomed to destruction, and it is doomed to insignificance.' (Read entire article here.)
Both articles are from the September 2011 issue of Tabletalk magazine from Ligonier Ministries.
5 comments:
Hi Judy, Excellent post and quotes....we often want to be blessed but not willing to suffer the consequences of evil. Thank you for sharing.
Noreen
It still seems so surreal at times. I watched it all happen with my Senior English class, and I just had to remind them that this wasn't a movie or drama; it was real......
Hugs!
What excellent articles! My husband and I were just yesterday talking about the fact that when God does show His mighty hand of judgment, the unbelieving and even professing to believe cry out, "How can a loving God do such a thing?" It's precisely because of His love of all that is good and righteous that He cannot endure sin, and our world is definitely steeped in sin. Thanks for posting this.
Wow...I enjoyed reading those. What a strange day it is. To relive the horror. I lost two people that day who were very close to me. My Godmother and a good friend from college. It was the day the world changed... It's hard to remember, but also important. Thanks for sharing this.
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
www.mawhats4dinner.com
Well put together article. Many people are too quick to blame God for a physical or natural disaster that is outside their concept zone. I am reminded of the words "...... Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven ....." .
A link was shared recently from a survivor of someone who used to go to my church before I started going there....
http://www.parksidechurch.com/news-events/blog/2011/08/remembering-911-george-sleigh-audio-and-video/
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