It’s hard to believe a quarter of a century has passed since many of us witnessed one of the most horrific news events of all time. On Sept. 11, 2001 – today known simply as “9/11” – terrorists commandeered four commercial jetliners. One flew directly into one of New York City’s “Twin Towers”; minutes later a second was flown into the second tower.
Not long afterward, a third jet was aimed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., while a fourth – because of the heroic efforts of passengers who had learned about the other planes – was prevented from reaching its intended target. Instead, it crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard.
Nearly 3,000 people died as victims of the terrorist attacks, not including the 19 hijackers. That included 2,753 in the World Trade Center buildings, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 passengers and crew in the airliner that crashed in Shanksville, Pa.
In the days following, people across the United States experienced unity in a way many had never known. Our nation had come under attack, and its people became unified by mutual grief, fear and uncertainty. Countless thousands assembled together at churches for prayer, entreating God’s guidance, wisdom and comfort. Political and philosophical differences were cast aside.
Although that spirit of camaraderie was short-lived, ramifications of the unimaginable terrorist attack continued, many to this day. More than 360 first responders had died after rushing to the crash site in New York; many others died in the years following due to illnesses traced to intense exposure to ash, debris and toxic gases.
Before 9/11, security measures at airports and on airplanes had been relatively minimal. There was no Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prior to that day; there had been no bothersome lines prior to boarding planes to check for possible bombs and weapons. The same was true for major sporting events, concerts and other large public gatherings.
Unfortunately, despite the devastation and horrifying images of that day, collectively we seem to have a short memory. A whole generation of young people has been born in the past 25 years, so they have no personal memory of what transpired on 9/11. For some of them, it’s only something from a history book, akin to the sinking of the Titanic or the explosion of the German airship Hindenburg. And some prominent individuals, including elective office holders, in recent years have downplayed the evil acts of that day.
Nevertheless, those of us who observed what unfolded that day, whether via the broadcast media or in person, will never forget it. I’ve a friend who still vividly recalls that morning, knowing that if he had not overslept after watching a late-night pro football game on TV, he might have been among the casualties in one of the towers. He lost many friends that day. What kind of hatred could have motivated such a sinister, unfathomable terrorist scheme?
Tragically, this wasn’t an isolated episode of terrorism. Many other malevolent acts have been perpetrated in the two-and-a-half decades since, although not to the scale of 9/11. Prior to that day, America seemed to have existed in a state of innocence – or perhaps, naivete. We couldn’t have imagined such an evil scheme even being conceived. But it was. And today we remember the lives lost, the vile ideology that spawned the acts, and understand the depths to which human behavior can descend.
To date there are no remedies, no simple solutions. We can be thankful for intelligence agencies that strive to abort terrorism in its many forms, but we’ve learned that another can occur at a time and place one might least expect. How then are we to respond?
For those of us who trust in God’s sovereignty and His mighty power, we can find consolation and hope. As we’re told in Psalm 5:4-6,11, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors…. But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.”
The problem of evil remains, along with debates surrounding why a good, loving God can allow such heinous acts. But our confidence is that ultimately not only His love but also His perfect justice will prevail. Writing to Christ followers in ancient Thessalonica who were enduring severe oppression, the apostle Paul stated:
“…among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecution and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and will give relief to you who are troubled…. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels” (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7).
As we hear about and observe the chaos, hatred and malice being manifested all around our world, it would be easy to lose heart. However, we can cling to the assurance of Hebrews 12:28, which declares, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
May we never forget 9/11, the people who perished, the brave souls who prevented mayhem on an even greater scale, and that ultimately what we’re seeing is evidence of a great spiritual war we cannot see: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
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