September 11, 2012 (Tuesday)
I have included a picture of the twin towers of New York City after they were struck by airplanes, before they collapsed completely, but I know you need no photograph to recall this image. If you are like me and millions of others, the sight is branded indelibly upon your mind and will be there for the rest of your life. This awful event took place eleven years ago today, as the city began a day like no other. Four planes, hijacked by 19 terrorists, along with their crews and passengers, became weapons that morning as they crashed into their targets: the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The United States Capitol Building was to have been the fourth target, but the plane intended for the Capitol crashed in Pennsylvania as passengers attempted to overcome the hijackers. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, including those on the planes and hundreds of firefighters.
To this day, the phrase, “nine eleven,” brings to mind the terrible events of September 11, 2001.
Evangelist Billy Graham, in a prayer service at the Washington Cathedral 3 days after 9-11, gave a message of comfort and hope. He said:
“No matter how hard we try words simply cannot express the horror, the shock, and the revulsion we all feel over what took place in this nation on Tuesday morning. September 11 will go down in our history as a day to remember.
“Today we say to those who masterminded this cruel plot, and to those who carried it out, that the spirit of this nation will not be defeated by their twisted and diabolical schemes. Some day those responsible will be brought to justice, as President Bush and our Congress have so forcefully stated.
“But today, we especially come together in this service to confess our need of God. We’ve always needed God from the very beginning of this nation, but today we need Him especially. We’re facing a new kind of enemy. We’re involved in a new kind of warfare and we need the help of the Spirit of God. The Bible’s words are our hope: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1,2, NIV).
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Read and/or view and hear Mister Graham’s entire message here.
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