I am sitting here in the office and watching a group of former military people walked by as they complete a 13-mile march in honor of the 13 Marines and Navy Corpsmen who were killed at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.
We as a nation take time to remember those who have step up to help those in need regardless of the price they may personally have to pray.
This Saturday is the 20th Remembrance of the September 11, 2001 attack on this country. There will be numerous programs on television and cable stations as they examine this tragic event. We will be reminded of where we were on that day and how our mirage of security was shattered and we were afraid.
We will remember how the churches of this country were filled to beyond capacity that next Sunday. We will remember that we can together as a country in strength and reached out to help each other. We remember.
We also remember that the churches were only full for a few weeks until the crisis passed. It was not long before we started taking sides on every issue you can imagine and it divided the people.
In 20 years’ time we have turned from God and even turn against the teaching of the Bible. We expedite our poor and pretend the problem does not exist. We hide the homeless from our view, well if we do not see them they must not really be there.
Saturday at 8:46 a.m., we as a nation take a moment of silence to remember that was the time that American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. May we not remember the tragedy and the loss of life. May we instead remember the heroes that stepped up to help those in need. Ordinary people who did crazy brave things to help people in need with no thought about their own safety.
They did not ask the people’s faith, party affiliation, national origin, or anything at all of those who needed help. They just helped anyone they could help and it would cost a lot of them their life.
We need to not seek the “right people who deserve our help” we just need to help all that need help. Some may need food. Some may need shelter. Others may need companionship and someone to talk to.
We need not be afraid to tell people how Jesus has helped us personally through tough and fearful times in our life. Explaining the power of prayer, both personal and as a prayer group, seeking God’s intervention to have this nation seek divine guidance and wisdom.
May we once more remember a time when we came together as a nation to pray for God’s protection. May we turn to God not only when in times of trial but in all times.
David Brown is Pastor of the Sabina United Methodist Church.
This weekly column is provided to the News Journal on a monthly rotation basis by members of the Wilmington Area Ministerial Association.
