Spiritual View Of The 911 Attacking Of America

A Spiritual View of the 911 Attacking of America

All week we have been bombarded with the tragedy of the Attacking of America. The news networks are filled with so much information on this horrible tragedy. The secular world has been telling you how to think about this tragedy from a worldly, just the physical facts, point of view. However, you are here this morning because you want to hear from God and what He thinks about this. I stand in fear as I am going to attempt to tell you how to view this from a Spiritual point of view. My dependence is totally upon God who has revealed Himself in Scriptures for us to know Him and His ways. As we look at the Word of God this morning we are going to look at several things to consider in relation to this tragedy. Instead of hitting on one theme such as judgement or comfort, I am going to look at this tragedy from several spiritual angles. Just as they showed the second plane crashing into the Tower from a lot of different angles physically, so I am going to look at this event from a lot of different angles spiritually from the word of God.

1. God’s Comfort – There are several children that came home on Tuesday but their parents never came home and they never will come Home. There are countless numbers of family members who have lost loved ones. There is a good chance that you in here this morning are touched personally by this tragedy. You need to know that God is here to comfort you.

Listen to the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV), “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” God is here to comfort you in the midst of this painful trial. His ear is open to hear your cries and His arms are open to hold you tight.

All of us have had suffering at one time or another and we have received the comfort of God. It is in times like this where we need to “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” One way we can do that is by pointing others to the suffering that Jesus endured. Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Christ is able to sympathize with our weakness for he also suffered unto death. We need to point others to the throne of Grace that they might receive mercy and grace in this time of need.

2. God’s Protection – Fear grips us and we do not know where to turn to find security and protection from the calamities of this world. The only true shelter and protection is in God alone. Psalm 46:1-3, “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, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah” We will not fear what man can do to us for God has said, “‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’" (Hebrews 13:5b-6)

His all consuming presence should ward off fear in our lives because He is closer to us than we can even fathom. “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) God is with us in this tragedy, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

3. God’s Allowance – Make no mistake about it, God was not asleep when this happened. It is not as if His back was turned or this somehow surprised Him. In fact it was God who ordained, caused or allowed this (You pick the language that you are comfortable with). A lot of people might wonder if this is God’s judgement. I cannot say 100% for sure, but I can tell you that it is a possibility. Amos 3:6b says, “When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?” The context of this verse is the Lord is speaking through the prophet Amos to Israel. God is about to bring judgement on Israel, however the application can be universal. God had destroyed other cities and told Israel the same would happen to them and it would be from His hand. The same that was true then is true now of any city. When disaster comes to a city (New York City), the Lord has caused it.