The historical records of the United States of America are stained with the memory of unexpected tragedy. Racism fueled the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, arguably, the greatest President in US history. Racism is a terrible tragedy of American history itself, but when Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Fords Theater in Washington, D.C., America lost a great leader, and the African American community lost a warrior for their freedom.
The attack on Pearl Harbor is another example of unexpected tragedy. On December 07, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service unexpectedly and unmercifully attacked the United States of America with 353 aircraft operating off of 6 aircraft carriers. 3,581 Americans were killed or wounded in the event described as, “a date which will live in infamy.”
The good people of America have had to endure numerous unexpected events that have been devastating. From school shootings and mass public assaults and murders with guns and vans and bombs and knives…evil has repeatedly reared its head and the American people have been called upon to rise up and rebuild and put the pieces together again.
No day in history has eclipsed the sadness, horror, and tragedy than September 11, 2001. The day began just like any other day for America. On the eastern coast to the Midwest, Americans were seizing the day. On the west coast, Americans were waking up and brewing their coffee, jumping in their showers and preparing for the same. It was 8:46 AM (5:46 am, L.A., Cal.) when the first plane (Flight 11) struck the North Tower. At 9:03 AM, the second plane (Flight 175) struck the South Tower. The President of the Untied States, George Bush, was reading a book to elementary school children in Florida when he was alerted to the events. At 9:57 AM, a revolt takes place on flight 93, and the pilot (Ziad Jarrah, a terrorist) began to roll the plane back and forth to attempt to destabilize the revolt. Todd Beamer helped lead the revolt to successfully enter the cockpit and saved untold lives by the sacrifice of themselves. They successfully crashed their flight into an empty field in Pennsylvania. The plane was most likely headed for the White House or the US Capitol building.
With thousands of people trapped in the buildings, and hundreds of heroes entering the carnage to save whomever they could, the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 AM. With modern news coverage rolling, and America watching live, the heart of the nation was rent in real time. At 10:28 AM, the North Tower came down, and “the world stopped turning that September day.” There is not a person alive who was in elementary school or up that doesn’t remember exactly where they were, or what they were doing as this unexpected tragedy unfolded. Many still remember the pit in their gut, the tears they shed as they watched the homeland under brutal attack. This author has memories etched in his mind of that day which will never be erased. I heard the tears, I saw the embraces, I heard the prayers being prayed. I felt the sense of panic and dread. America was reminded of evil, once again, and how life is fleeting, and how evil will find a way to do its deeds.
The days following the most terrible day in modern history, were something to see as well! The strands that bind this country together, the fabric of which this nation is made was revealed. People actually loved people; complete strangers were coming together. This country was united in a way never seen before by the younger generation experiencing this tragedy, and has since spiraled into a nation torn by race, hate, and party lines. It is sad to say, but I miss the days following the great tragedy of September 11, 2001. I detest and despise the horrid actions of our enemies. I unashamedly admit that I have shed tears likely every year since that fateful day, on the anniversary of the event. We say, “We will never forget.” And, oh, how I wish that were true. We have no doubt remembered to a certain degree, but we have forgotten so much about it. We have lost the sense of unity in our nation that carried us through the darkest hours of our nation’s recent history. We have forgotten the “main thing,” which is we are all in this together, for the common good of our own lives and our posterity. But greater still, on the horizon, looms an unexpected tragedy, broader in scope than the last.
Many, all over the world, are living their lives as if they have nothing to live for. They live their lives as if there is no God, no standard, no judgement, no eternity. What an unexpected tragedy awaits them if they expire or the Lord returns.
Jesus, the creator of the universe (John 1:1-3), said that there was coming a day that no one would expect (Matt.24:36, 38). The masses will be carrying on like they always have, without regard to their end. Jesus, in speaking of religious people who thought that as long as they were sincere, it didn’t really matter what the Bible said, as long as they did what they did on behalf of Him… “But did we not prophesy in thy name and in thy name cast out demons, and do many wonderful works” (Matt.7:22). Jesus lays bear a great unexpected tragedy, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you.” These scenes shouldn’t be a great surprise to those that claim to love Jesus, because they have Bibles. The information is readily available. The Jesus that they love said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), and yet, many go about their entire lives paying lip service to Christ (Matt.15:8), and never render their heart (Romans 6:17-18). There’s a great unexpected tragedy awaiting them that, “know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess.1:8). The Bible says, “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess.1:9).
People are so focused on the temporal, and “stuff”, that they have failed to consider the eternal. People are trading wholesale their souls for satisfaction and recognition down here. The Bible says that this old world and all that fills it will be burned (2 Peter 3:10-12). All that is in this world is corruptible. The finest silver and gold are corruptible (1 Peter 1:18) and moth and rust will tarnish and destroy all the treasures of earth (Matt.6:19). So many have placed their eye on the wrong thing. We often feel pain from not having what everybody else has, and not going where everybody else is going…but that’s the great irony of Christianity. The world doesn’t have what Christians have, and the world isn’t going where Christians are going.
Christians have that which the world can never have and will attain that which the world will never possess. In Christ, Christians are a new creation (2 Cor.5:7), a masterpiece (Eph.2:10), forgiven (Eph.1:7; Col. 2:13; 1 John 1:7), redeemed (1 Pet.1:18-19; Gal.3:13-14), and blessed (Eph.1:3). Because of Jesus, His people are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37), free (John 8:31; Rom.8:1), and healed (1 Pet.2:24). Christians are benefitted by the cross of Christ in that they are reconciled to God (2 Cor.5:18; Rom.5:10), outfitted for the fight (Eph.6:10-18), dead to sin (Rom.6:2) and alive with Christ (Eph.2:5). Jesus makes His people the salt of the earth (Matt.5:13) and His personal light reflectors (Matt.5:14; Eph. 5:8). We are strengthened with all power (Col.1:11) and able to do all things (Phil.4:13). He supplies our every need so we’re never truly without (Phil.4:19). All grace abounds to us (2 Cor.9:8) and we never walk alone (Heb.13:5; Psa.23:4). We have a room at home with God, so we should never be too down and out (John 14:1-6). This and so many other blessings are why no one should be involved in the next, unexpected tragedy.
We weep over events like 9/11, but how much sorer the pain, and dark the shadow of grief for those who find themselves unprepared to meet God (Amos 4:12; Matthew 25:30,41). If you would like to talk about being prepared to meet God, we at the Eastside Church of Christ stand ready to assist you in that preparation.
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