At 8:46 a.m. eight years ago you remember where you were, what you were doing, and who you were with when you received the news that an American Airlines aircraft had flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in NYC. Some of you may not have known what happened until later that day, depending on what you were doing you may not have received the news right away. But by the time you went to bed on September 11, 2001, you were no doubt wrestling with many of the same questions every other American was anxiously wondering: Will there be more tonight? Tomorrow? What will happen next? Who did this? Will we go to war? What will happen to our economy? I didn't know we were so vulnerable! Will our children be safe?
I know that those were just a few of the thoughts that kept me awake that night. I remember being glued to the 24-hour news channels, trying to get every answer that I could as soon as it was available. But not even CNN, MSNBC, or FOX News could answer the greatest question of all: Where was God on 9/11?
Was He watching from a distance, without any power to do anything because we are completely free to do as we will, without any interruption from the supposed "sovereign" God? Did he "cause" the events to take place as judgment on America? Did he "allow" the events to take place? Where was God? And what was His involvement? On this Patriot Day, eight years after those horrifying events, I think it is appropriate for us to be reminded of the Supremacy of God in all things.
John Piper made an astounding statement on 9/11/2005 that still resounds loudly to this day:
The Supremacy of God in All Things—No Exceptions:
One of the truths of the Bible that we embrace with trembling joy is the truth of God’s supremacy in all things. The mission of our church is that we exist to spread a passion of the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. When we say that, we do not mean: “except in calamities,” “except in war,” “except when Al Qaeda blows up a building or a train,” “except when cancer takes a mom or a child is born with profound disabilities.” There are no “except” clauses in our mission statement.
To find out more about what John Piper meant, and to receive a good, biblical answer to what God was up to on 9/11/2001, read or listen to the rest of the message
here.
On that morning I was doing the one thing that I would want to be doing during such a catastrophe. I was worshiping our Sovereign God. I had been invited by Good Works to lead a worship seminar for their staff at a Bed & Breakfast in Athens. I remember that we were in the middle of a song about God being in control, when Keith Wasserman came downstairs with a very disturbed look on his face. After the song he shared with everyone what had taken place. We concluded our time together and, I believe, ended up with a much greater perspective on the day's events.
How important it is to be in a constant state of worship to the God of the Universe. Last Sunday we talked about "being ready". There is no better state of readiness than being in the presence of God in worship.
I am thankful that we have a God who reigns supreme over all things, all people, all natural disasters, all terror, all wars, and all victory. He is LORD.
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