September 11 2001 was supposed to be a day of firsts for my wife and I. It was her first shift as a neuro-intensive care nurse at Vancouver General Hospital, and it was my first day as a divinity student at Regent College. We had just gotten married a couple of months ago and were wide-eyed at our new lives together.
I dropped her at the hospital and drove down Broadway towards UBC. As I reached the campus I turned on the radio and this is what I heard:
"Yep, a lot of people are turning around and heading home on the roads out there. This is a day you want to be at home near loved ones. If you are just joining us ... 2 planes have flown into the World Trade Center in New York City."
I had passed through the "gates" of the campus, past Alma street and my whole body started to shake. I tried to focus on the road, and steer my car into an empty spot. I parked and ran into Regent. They were trying to figure out how to link up a tv, so we could watch history unfold. That didn't work.
The first chapel of the school year was scheduled that day. We wandered in shell-shocked, wondering what the faculty was going to do. Our president Rod Wilson spoke into the mike, indicating that what had been planned for that morning had been shelved. Mikes had been set up, for students to share their thoughts. Regent has a lot of American students, and it must have been so hard for them to be away from home on that day.
Being able to share with one another helped a little. Felicia and I had been at the World Trade Center 2 weeks ago on our honey-moon, so the day was touched by recent memories of those amazing buildings. I went to the mike and prayed for the pastors of New York City, who would be facing the challenge of shepherding their flocks through the valley of the shadow of death in the coming days.
After my school day ended, I went back and picked up Felicia. I remember walking through downtown Vancouver with her. It was an amazingly beautiful sunny day that day. And there was this odd sense of dis-ease about everything.
2001 was a year of firsts for Felicia and I.
First year of marriage.
First year of grad school.
First year at Vancouver General Hospital.
First year living in Vancouver.
And first year of the war on terror.
But terror need not have the final word.
I have been reading The One Year Bible this year as part of my daily Bible reading and prayer time. Here are some selections that fall on September 11:
We need not live in fear during this age of terror and war. There is a power at work stronger than anything evil men can do:
Do not call conspiracy
everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,
and do not dread it.
The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
he is the one you are to fear,
-Isaiah 8.
This inner peace comes through a child. He will usher in a new kingdom.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
-Isaiah 9
These words could have been spoken by many many people on this day 10 years ago. The passage ends with hope, The Lord sustains and keeps us safe when everything is shaking all around us.:
My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm.”
Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
for I see violence and strife in the city.
Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
-Psalm 55.
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