Twelve years ago, I was on my feet with many of my classmates (yes, I was still in high school!) watching, captivated, and mesmerized by what we were seeing. As we watched the second Tower fall so did the pit in all of our stomachs. Somehow we all knew the world would never quite be the same. For a high schooler with her whole life ahead of her, this is quite a scary thing. No one really knew then how day to day life would be affected.
For the thousands of people who lost loved ones on that day, their day to day will NEVER be the same. For political world leaders that now need to think and act on another level, their day to day will NEVER be the same. Boarding an airplane will NEVER be the same. There is a long list of things that will NEVER be the same, but the fact is we've taken pride in the fact that our lives have continued in many areas unaffected. While we vow never to forget, a huge part is glad that on the other days of the year we can.
You see, we've bounced back! WE'RE AMERICANS!!! We're proud to say it. You pop our bubble, we'll get it back! You tear us down, we'll rebuild better and stronger!! I'm so prone to jump on this bandwagon myself. I love our country and the freedoms it allows. The first time I went to a NFL football game and they stretched that gigantic flag out that covered the whole field and sang the national anthem, I got tears in my eyes. There's something beautiful about our country and its story. (This is perhaps why it pains me so much to see it go the direction that it's going.)
Today, 12 years after our country was attacked, 12 years after many lives have been lost in the name of "security", 12 years of rebuilding, and I had to ask myself:
Do we hold our flag too high?
Another thing I did that day, along with countless others, is pray. What did you pray for that day? Safety? Peace? Strength? Answers? A phone call from a loved one letting you know they were alright? I did too. I prayed for peace and safety and wisdom for our leaders. I prayed with urgency. I prayed with passion. I prayed through pain and confusion. When was the last time I came to God like that? How about you? When our safety and security were threatened it was easy to run to God. The pews were full the next Sunday, if you know what I mean. So, 12 years later, how are the pews? How are the prayers? How is our faith?
While I am very proud to be an American, I'm not proud with America. Yes, 9/11 was a wake up call, but a wake up call for what? I think we came out on the other side, that much more confident in our flag and not necessarily our faith.
It's not hopeless. I have to remind myself to never give up hope. I know God is GREAT, and He LONGS to gracious. Revival can happen. It needs to start in my heart and in my home before it can impact anyone else. Lets try to make sure the next time we run to God to pray, isn't the next tragedy. What could America look like if we pray with urgency and passion everyday and not just on "that day"?
It could look like an America "Under God". The CROSS above the flag!
