Early this week I began preparing this week’s post entitled “Faith of Our Fathers.” After I started I realized that today, September 11, marked the 15th anniversary of the events of September 11. The events and emotions are etched into my mind forever. Both as a nation and individually, it was a defining moment, and faith in the lives of many played a huge role on that day and the days that followed.
The morning of September 11, 2001, Stanley Praimnath was working on the 81st floor of the World Trade Center South Tower when he saw an airplane flying directly toward him. Stanley prayed a quick prayer as he dove under a desk for protection: “Lord, I can’t do this! You take over!”
From the impact, Stanley was trapped behind a wall of debris. As he prayed crying out for help, Brian Clark, a worker from another office, heard and responded. Both men made their way through darkness and obstacles down 80 flights of stairs eventually arriving on the ground floor and out of the building.
Many others did not make it to safety. I can’t fathom what I would do under such horrific circumstances, but I hope I would be praying fervently. I know from experience God hears our prayers and is beside us every step of the way. It is His grace and peace that gets us through storms in our life.
The attacks that day meant to defeat us. However, the opposite occurred as our nation grew together stronger and more resilient, united in purpose as we helped our brothers and sisters in time of need. That’s a good lesson worth remembering today and everyday. Let’s not forget those moments in history that show us life is very precious and can change in the twinkling of an eye.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “Nearness to God is our conscious security. A child in the dark is comforted by grasping its father’s hand.”
“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go . . . . Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me” Psalms 71:3, 12
