September 11th Devotional
Colossians 2:13-14
Some days in history need no introduction. Some days in history are known tragically as days of infamy. No matter what events have transpired in the past nor will transpire in the future, none will compare with the event of September 11th, 2001, or more simply, 9/11. Each generation has an event that will be permanently burned into their memory. Images, sounds, and memories that will never fade. September 11th, 2001 started out as what would seem to be a non-historical day. It was seemingly just another Tuesday. Kids recently started back to school. Men and women would begin their work day just like they would any other day of the week. It was a sunny and clear day for most of the East Coast, but catastrophe struck unexpectedly. Little did anyone know that 19 terrorists had highjacked four planes that morning. Those plans were laden with fuel. The terrorist's goal was to cause the economic destruction of the West while causing the most damage and death that they could. American Airline flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46. United Airlines flight 175 struck the South Tower at 9:03. At 9:37 American Airlines flight 77 struck the Pentagon. At 10:03 United Airlines flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville PA. 2977 people perished in the melee that day. All of this transpired as our eyes were fixated on our television sets. Our hearts and minds were in disbelief. How could this happen? Who could do this? Flight 93 was destined for San Francisco. The flight was delayed and the terrorists waited until 40 minutes after take-off to capture the plane. The plane only had 33 passengers and 7 crew members. Those forty people were already aware of the events that were transpiring. Some of the passengers were already contacting family from the plane realizing the dire situation. Most of them realized that they were going to die. They voted and agreed to fight back. One stewardess boiled water, others said their prayers, and a passenger named Todd Beamer said “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” Open lines could hear the commotion. The terrorists attempted to fight back but quickly realized they were going to be overpowered. It was then that they crashed the plane. The bravery of those passengers and crew saved other people’s lives. They sacrificed themselves to save others.
Many people threw themselves into harm's way that day. 403 firefighters, police officers, and port authority officers died trying to save others. They threw their own lives to the wind in order to try to rescue others. Biblically we see a person who did the same thing but on a much grander scale. Colossians 2:13 and 14 says When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” The Bible states without apology that we are sinners, far from God. That sin contaminates all of us and leaves us hopeless and ‘spiritually dead.’ We need someone to rescue us, someone to take our place. Paul says in Colossians that while we were still dead in our sin Christ brought us life. Now just any life but life through Him. How did He do this? How does He cancel our sin debt? How does He forgive our transgressions? Why does He move us from being hostile to Him? By dying on the cross. He was the perfect Lamb of God that took our sin out of the way by taking the full price of our sin upon Himself. He threw Himself headlong into our punishment for the purpose of rescuing those that were far away and helpless. Rejoice in God’s rescue plan.
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