Words to Grow On

Archive Devotions

July 26, 2004

“In the School of Prayer”

  By:

Ms. Judy Turpen

As I write it has been just 22 days since the terrorist attack on our beloved nation. The camera of my mind still sees the airplanes crashing into the Twin Towers, followed by the collapse of both, the gaping hole in the side of the Pentagon and the fragments of Flight 93 strewn across the green grass of an unpopulated area in the State of Pennsylvania.

My mind still doesn’t want to believe what I saw. I’m still sad. I’m still dreaming about September 11 th and experiencing sleeplessness. Healing has begun. It will take more time. I thought I was getting better until I saw a report of the funeral of a fireman and I began to weep and said aloud, “There are over 5,000 more funerals to go.” Our nation will be in mourning for a long time.

As far as I know, at this time, I did not lose anyone in the disaster. It’s difficult to imagine the loss of so many who died. My cousin Jim had just begun to work for one of President Bush’s cabinet members. I tried to call him, and like so many others, could not get through. By the end of the day we heard via e-mail that he was standing in an office some distance from the Pentagon when it exploded in flames. I was thankful he was safe.

In the days since September 11 th we’ve heard the phrase often, “Where do we go from here?” And the answer keeps reverberating, “We must go on.” We are so blessed to have a God who loves, heals and gives hope to a hurting world. We will continue to pray and healing will come, but our nation or world will not be the same.

In America, there are tens of thousands who will not have a husband, wife, father, mother, daughter or friend to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with in 2001 and yet, Thanksgiving and Christmas will arrive and we’ll gather in homes to give thanks and to exchange gifts. But we won’t forget. We can’t forget.

Americans, who felt protected before the morning of September 11 th view life differently. As a Christian I see life as more fragile than I did before that horrible day. A few days after the event two friends and I celebrated a birthday lunch together. Before September 11 th I would have been glancing at my watch, thinking I’d better get back to work but this time with friends took on a whole new meaning. The once-a-year lunch with friends seemed more important than rushing back to work.

Let us continue to pray for so many who lost so much. Yes, we will get on with the “business of life” but let’s do it with a new look at what’s important in the time we have left on this Earth. Let us go about doing good, showing love to family and friends and sharing our faith in God through Jesus Christ as He gives opportunity to do so. I pray especially for you who teach, to impact and impart a new love for the students God has placed in your classroom.

The towers have fallen, the rubble remains,

Lives were lost but God is the same.

Heroes were born, others were saved,

The towers are gone but God is the same.

 September 11 th, National mourning began,

Hope was gone, but God is the same.

 Tomorrow will come, dreams will be new,

New York shall rebuild, but God is the same.

 None can forget, the tragedy stained,

Healing will come, our God is the same.

Editors Note: This article was written just after 9/11 before the Christmas Holidays. It was adapted for this year.