Children Spared on 9-11, Children Spared Today

I was explaining 9-11 to Olivia and she said, “it’s sad a lot of people died…even kids.” I had to correct her… “No Olivia there weren’t children in the twin towers, it was a place where grown ups worked”

It hit me…Children saved...parents saved…another example of God’s mercy on 9-11-01.

I thought of the fact that many people were running late to work that day because it was the first day of school. This year, August 30, 2011, was Olivia’s first day of school. As a parent, my mind was not on any other obligation, errand or task…I wanted to get my child to school, meet her teacher and make sure the school year went off to a great start.

This was the same mentality for many parents who survived simply because they were fulfilling their responsibilities as parents and were intentionally “running late” to work that day…

“I knew I was going to stay at the school. A lot of parents were staying around the school anyway because it was beginning of the school year, it was a very touchy-feely school and at the beginning of the school year they let parents stay in the classroom for the first half hour or hour.” Jacques Menasche, a New York-based writer, editor, and filmmaker speaks about his experience taking his son to school on the first day, 9-11-01

I also learned that to the best of our knowledge, no child was left as an orphan as a result of 9-11.
Nina Bernstein of The New York Times writes that there is "Not a single child who needs foster care or adoption by strangers. Not a single documented case of a child who lost both parents."
Amazing Grace….

I thought of school field trips to the twin towers…As far as we know, there were no school field trips that day…

The terrorists did not discriminate against man, woman or child….anyone could have been a victim that day… but I believe God in His mercy spared many parents and children as they were at school, the first day of school, and fathers and mothers were staying behind in the classroom to make sure all was well. Even President Bush was in a classroom with children when the twin towers were hit.

A firefighter said it best, “We talk about how many people died on 9-11 but we forget how many were saved…”

People try to explain the “why” of 9-11. Why did this happen? I cannot answer that. However, I was so blessed by something Pastor Bob Botsford said on KWAVE this week. He said the tomb is empty, the throne is and always has been occupied. That really blessed me. God is sovereign. We don’t understand His ways or why He allows certain things to happen in this life. (Isaiah 55:8)

If we read His Word and get to know His ways by studying Jesus we learn that ALL THINGS, not some things, but all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God’s children will turn closer to Him during times of trial and God in His amazing grace and mercy will indeed bring beauty from ashes. Just look at plants. A rose plant must be pruned and cut down in order to produce blooming roses. A fruit tree must be pruned to bear “more fruit.” John 15:1-5.

One amazingly beautiful thing that came out of 9-11 was a nation brought to her knees in prayer. We saw unity in prayer as people were praying for our nation, for safety, for healing from the wounds of the attacks, for peace for the families, and for peace in trying to stand up again after such a devastating blow on our country.

I read Job this week and saw something new…Something I never saw before. Job went through trial after trial after trial. He lost his children. He lost his business/livelihood, he lost compassion from his friends, he lost intimacy with his wife, his health deteriorated…He lost a lot…but the Word clearly says that after God spoke with Job, he instructed Job to pray for his friends.

“…My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him” (Job 42:8b)

Job’s friends did not have an accurate view of God and they assumed Job must have sin in his life and that was the cause of his trials. Many people after 9-11 thought God was judging America.

“And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10

Did you catch that? Job was restored when he prayed. How can we play a part in the after math of 9-11? PRAYER.

I am sure you feel like I do…totally inadequate and unworthy of the many blessings God gives me. I am thankful for God’s amazing grace through the blood at Calvary’s cross. One of my favorite blessings is motherhood…

Just like God showed mercy on so many parents and children on 9-11 in New York, God is giving us mercy and an opportunity to be part of restoration in America through prayer, and through raising children after His own heart.

LORD Jesus, we don’t know why so many evil things occur in this world. We know Satan is at work big time in America. Father, you are no longer allowed in schools, in work, or even in public open prayer at the Sept. 11, memorial service, but we cannot be silenced. As long as there is breathe in our lungs we will pray. As long as we walk in this life, we will be people who serve you and are committed to raising our kids to know you love you and share your truth with the lost. Jesus, please, please bring beauty through ashes to the families of firefighters, police officers, first responders, twin tower workers, airplane travelers, pentagon workers, and others who died on Sept. 11. May the families and friends turn to you in their times of grief and know that they have hope in seeing their loved ones again for there is hope for those who know and trust in Jesus. We have no words at times LORD and for those moments, Holy Spirit, intercede for us. May we continue to be one nation under God and have mercy on America. In Jesus Name, AMEN.