To Remember on 9/11
I think remembering is critical on days like today. It causes us to take time and reflect on events that have changed us forever. We each have these memorable moments. And taking time to recall them means investing time reflecting on both a previous state and a future state. Just take these words from Moses as he leads the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt. He said:
“Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.”—Exodus 13:3
Moses's words are both profound and somewhat prophetic. He knows, as do we, as soon as we forget, we're liable to fall right back into a previous state. Right back into slavery and oppression by the hands of enemies that desire to oppress us.
You know, we live in times where things move so fast we tend to forget. Only twenty years ago, at the hands of the Taliban, we experienced an atrocity in our country that appears to be already fading from our memories. This enemy sought to destroy us and divide us. And so, it's good for us to remember today. To remember what happened at the hands of the enemy and who we have become since then. I mean, we walk through the airport differently today because of what happened on that day.
But there are also other things to recall. Not just evil that was done, but for deliverance that was provided. Today join me in remembering. Remember those who lost their lives, gave their lives and served so that we can have life.
But Moses adds a caveat here that is critical for followers. He reminds them to remember the oppression, but he also reminds them of the One who saved them. So today, let's not only recall all the evil that has been done in the world. Let's remember a God who is in the business of saving. And he is still saving. Saving men and women from eternal destruction and from the hand of all enemies that seek to do us harm. God save us all.
LET IT PLAY: Sacrifice For Me — The Oak Ridge Boys
SIGN UP — THE DAILY DEVO
short + biblical + practical
Read through the Bible daily with Vince Miller.
To Vince and all the brothers on this Devo
Happ Thanksgiving and may God bless you and keep you and make his light shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace
It’s hard to believe that almost half my life ago, the twin towers were still standing in NY, or to realize that MORE than half my life, they WEREN’T standing in NY. I was in High School when they fell and we had homeroom at the time, I lived in CO at the time, so being two hours behind the east coast, school was just starting when we were watching the “Kids news” in homeroom and they showed the footage of one tower falling with the burning wreckage of a plane in the side of the building, then, within a few minutes, another plane crashed into the other tower and it fell shortly after too. I have never been to NY, so I learned a lot about NY after that and have seen two or three movies about this attack since then and these movies are just emotion laden, as some of my classmates were that HAD been to NY or had family in NY at the time. I joined the US Navy straight out of HS, not only because of this attack, but also because I have a lot of family members that I look(ed) up to that served. God bless all the service men and women who have served or are serving in the US military in ANY capacity.
It wasn’t the hands of the Taliban. I appreciate this daily devotion and email. It allows me to start my day off with the word and easily access some small piece of scripture when I arrive at work every morning.
The Taliban never attacked us, though, and as a Green Beret I find it disheartening that my Christian brothers can’t take the time to discern the truth. Don’t conflate them. At best, the Taliban harbored al Qaeda, but when the attacks happened, they offered them to us. Our alleged moral government wanted targets to drop expensive bombs on, though, and declared the Taliban co-conspirators while starting an unnecessary war that ended up killing many Afghan civilians, and many of our service members unnecessarily.
Our world right now is a microcosm of churches allowing the government to lie to us about threats, because the church has conflated our government with moral authority.
Thank you. I appreciate your service to our country. I regret that we don’t share the same position concerning the Taliban though.
Thank you for honoring today and remembering the past and reminding us to focus on God and how he promises to pull us through!
Vince thanks for the devo and also for posting the BYU talk. That is fantastic and inspiring!
I am grateful to god for his divine protection , his love and mercy. also for the sacrifice of the men and women in uniform who in the face of danger stand tall and face the danger courageously. God bless the USA.
Thanks be to God
Ya man. 😎
A daily reminder everyday, one day @ a time, of how God saves us and the deliverance providing ; especially on a day like 9/11 today, delivers us eternally from destructive harm and this I am thankful then/now & in future life to come. Thanks Vince & as always, Thanks be to God!