"Where Were You?"

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicals 7:14

　

I have lived long enough that I have several “Where were you’s” in my life! Though some will not believe it, I just missed “Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?”, “Where were you when World War II was declared” or “Where were you when you heard the war was over?” ! I do remember where I was when I heard John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Bobby Kennedy was killed as well as the announcement of the slaying of Martin Luther King! As many people alive at that time, I can transport myself back to that moment! I remember what I was doing, what I thought as well as what others were saying. It’s those times when time stops and a spotlight shines on something, that in our minds, is unimaginable. When all seems hopeless!

　

As I opened Face Book today there was a post that asked “where were you were on 9/11?” I remember exactly! Being so bored sitting at home with a bum leg, I was hobbling around “Hobby Lobby” with a cast on my leg. As the journey around my favorite store weaved toward the front of the store, I kept hearing the cashier talk to each customer as they came up about something that had happened and both the customer and the cashier would commiserate about how awful it was! At first I thought that maybe there had been some horrendous school shooting, or maybe murders in our town since that is not at all uncommon. I didn’t buy anything but went to the car and turned on the radio. When I finally got to a station that had the news, the announcer said that a plane had crashed into one of the of the World Trade Center Towers but it was not confirmed that it was terrorists! I could never have guessed what would happen in the hours to come! As many, I watched the TV nonstop because the bad news just kept coming in. The second tower was hit, both the towers collapsed, a plane crash in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon was hit! Fatalities were feared to reach into the thousands, as stories of casualties came over the airways.

The day started as usual with everyone going their own ways, me included! Many people started the day, as they normally did without a thought of God but by evening many had called out to almighty God. Accross the country, law makers, governors or judges prepared to find ways to ban God from schools, funerals and walls of court houses, but as the sun went down many were humbled and cried out to the One who they tried erase from our country.

As darkness fell on Washington, DC, members of Congress stood together on the steps of the Pentigon, while then House and Senate leaders addressed the country. Suddenly, something amazing happened as Republicans and Democrats stood together, they spontaneously began to sing “God Bless America”! I believe in that moment it wasn’t just a song but a plea for God to again bless America! We were all humbled by our vulnerability, suddenly we knew that nothing would ever be the same. America, even as great as it is, pleaded for God our creator to again bless us.　

God bless America

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam.

God bless America, my home sweet home

God bless America, my home sweet home.