Reason #960
I have to be honest, I was worried about today. I've been praying specifically about today since the week started, and I realized how far into September we are. This morning as I stood in the bathroom putting on my make, the radio deejay said, "It's 8:46 ET, which was when AA Flight 11 hit the first World Trade Center tower thirteen years ago. We're going to observe a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives." The radio went silent. Not the kind of silent where you can still hear background noise and static. It clicked off completely, and my house was void of noise. I started to utter a prayer for the families whose loved ones were lost that day, and immediate tears filled my eyes. I had such a lump in my throat that I couldn't even speak, and my heart was so heavy. I thought about the fact that at that exact moment thirteen years ago, a group of innocent people lost their lives in a tragic accident. They had no idea what they day held in store for them, and they certainly didn't expect to be a part of one of America's biggest tragedies.
Over 3,000 people died that day. Some were on a plane. Some were at work. Some were on their way to their respective offices when tragedy struck. The majority of those people did not choose to put themselves in harm's way that day. They did not ask to be a part of history in the making. Given the opportunity, I know they would have chosen to stay at home with their families that day. But they didn't know. They had no idea. Nineteen people were determining the fate of thousands that day, and lives were forever changes.
But there were a few hundred people who intentionally showed up that day knowing full well that they were going to be put in harm's way. Hundreds of first responders showed up to help rescue and save those who were in danger. They went to pull people from the wreckage, to bind up their wounds, and to climb flights of stairs and drag them out of a burning building that was quickly falling apart. They risked their lives so that other people could live, and some of them even lost their lives while saving people they didn't even know. They didn't have to show up that day to help. They could have simply chose to stay in the safety of their homes with their families. They could have easily said, "I quit. I didn't sign up for this kind of stuff." They could have stood by watching and hoped that someone else would help those in need, but they didn't. When they accepted their job, they understood that it meant sacrifice. They understood that danger was involved. They agreed to go to great lengths to protect and save people at all costs, and how lucky we are to live in a country with people like that. People who not only show up to help, but people who sign up to fight for our safety. People who constantly risk their lives so that we can live comfortably. People who are willing to step in front of the bullet for us, run into a burning building to find us, and carry us down through the flames and the wreckage so that we can be saved. And the crazy thing is that they do it all for complete strangers, for people who might not even return the favor or show any gratitude. They do it because well, someone has to, and they promised they would.
We wouldn't know what saving was if it weren't for Jesus. He is our first responder. I have to believe that coming to Earth probably wasn't the easiest decision He made. He knew that if He came down here, His life would be on the line. He knew He was stepping into the danger zone and that physical safety was not a guarantee. He knew full well what all life on this earth would entail. He knew this wasn't going to be a cake walk. And I just have to think that He may have thought, "God, I'd really just rather stay here in Heaven with you than walk right into a world of destruction." But He saw the need. He saw what was happening, and He knew we needed Him. We needed to be rescued, and we needed to be saved. We were in great danger, and there was no way we were going to be able to get ourselves out alive. And so Jesus came. He chose to come. And He gave up His life so that we could live. He willingly surrendered himself and became the sacrifice so that we didn't have to. He stretched His arms out on the cross, and as the nails pierced His hands and feet, He gave died for you and me. Because someone had to do it. Someone had to save us from the wreckage of our sin. And from the start, He agreed to do it. He promised that He would, and praise Jesus that His promises always hold true.
#960 - Because He agreed He'd save us, and He kept His promise to do so.
"In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” - Isaiah 25:9
Over 3,000 people died that day. Some were on a plane. Some were at work. Some were on their way to their respective offices when tragedy struck. The majority of those people did not choose to put themselves in harm's way that day. They did not ask to be a part of history in the making. Given the opportunity, I know they would have chosen to stay at home with their families that day. But they didn't know. They had no idea. Nineteen people were determining the fate of thousands that day, and lives were forever changes.
But there were a few hundred people who intentionally showed up that day knowing full well that they were going to be put in harm's way. Hundreds of first responders showed up to help rescue and save those who were in danger. They went to pull people from the wreckage, to bind up their wounds, and to climb flights of stairs and drag them out of a burning building that was quickly falling apart. They risked their lives so that other people could live, and some of them even lost their lives while saving people they didn't even know. They didn't have to show up that day to help. They could have simply chose to stay in the safety of their homes with their families. They could have easily said, "I quit. I didn't sign up for this kind of stuff." They could have stood by watching and hoped that someone else would help those in need, but they didn't. When they accepted their job, they understood that it meant sacrifice. They understood that danger was involved. They agreed to go to great lengths to protect and save people at all costs, and how lucky we are to live in a country with people like that. People who not only show up to help, but people who sign up to fight for our safety. People who constantly risk their lives so that we can live comfortably. People who are willing to step in front of the bullet for us, run into a burning building to find us, and carry us down through the flames and the wreckage so that we can be saved. And the crazy thing is that they do it all for complete strangers, for people who might not even return the favor or show any gratitude. They do it because well, someone has to, and they promised they would.
We wouldn't know what saving was if it weren't for Jesus. He is our first responder. I have to believe that coming to Earth probably wasn't the easiest decision He made. He knew that if He came down here, His life would be on the line. He knew He was stepping into the danger zone and that physical safety was not a guarantee. He knew full well what all life on this earth would entail. He knew this wasn't going to be a cake walk. And I just have to think that He may have thought, "God, I'd really just rather stay here in Heaven with you than walk right into a world of destruction." But He saw the need. He saw what was happening, and He knew we needed Him. We needed to be rescued, and we needed to be saved. We were in great danger, and there was no way we were going to be able to get ourselves out alive. And so Jesus came. He chose to come. And He gave up His life so that we could live. He willingly surrendered himself and became the sacrifice so that we didn't have to. He stretched His arms out on the cross, and as the nails pierced His hands and feet, He gave died for you and me. Because someone had to do it. Someone had to save us from the wreckage of our sin. And from the start, He agreed to do it. He promised that He would, and praise Jesus that His promises always hold true.
#960 - Because He agreed He'd save us, and He kept His promise to do so.
"In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” - Isaiah 25:9