On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, I was sitting in class at Pentecostal Theological Seminary. During a break, someone told me that a jet had flown into one of the World Trade Center towers. At that point I thought, “What a terrible accident.” Later, back in class, someone interrupted the class to announce that the Pentagon had been attacked. We were still in the dark, but we knew a horrible tragedy was occurring. Classes were dismissed and the entire student body gathered in the chapel to pray. Later, someone brought a television to the student center and we all gathered to watch the events. It was there that I saw the towers fall.
I spent the rest of the day in classes, with mixed emotions. I wanted to go home to be with my family in Thomasville, Georgia. I got home early the next morning and spent the day with Sharon watching the news and reflecting. Some Christian leaders were being interviewed and declared the attacks to be God’s vengeance upon the United States. Of course, many Americans were terribly offended. Others were asking why would God allow such evil? I remembered the words of Jesus: “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4-5).
These words continue to provoke mixed emotions in me. I believe the victims of 9-11 were innocent, that is, they were the targets of an unprovoked terror attack. I believe that the terrorist are evil and criminal. But I also believe that “all have sinned” and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Jesus warned, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
The last ten years have seen two wars, and the deaths of thousands of people. We have witnessed brave Americans fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Recently, we learned that the 9-11 mastermind – Osama Bin Laden – was killed by US Navy Seals in a brilliant raid. I didn’t rejoice, but I was relieved.
On the Sunday after 9-11, I told my church, “This conflict will be with us for an entire generation. We will be living with this for fifty years.” I have not changed my mind. The nature of this conflict will not be resolved on the battlefield. There will be more attacks by terrorists, and more battles involving brave American soldiers.
But the words of Jesus remind me that human conflict is sign of a fallen race, separated from the love and holiness of God. I believe that the United States is an exceptional nation. With that said, as a Christian I believe that we should remember that God loves the world – the whole world. My ultimate hope and allegiance is to the kingdom of God. So, today and every day I pray the words I have been taught to pray: “…deliver us from evil; For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
