Twenty two years ago, was the height of the hurricane season. Hurricane Erin developed from a tropical wave on September 1st, threatening to land in Bermuda. The airports there were shut down and flights from there were delayed. This was the longest-lived hurricane of the 2001 season. I wonder how this might have affected the incident that occurred on the next day at the World Trade Center in New York City. Instead, the hurricane shifted and moved to the northeast, and turned into an extratropical storm. There was no resulting damage to property. September 11 would be a beautiful day, with clear blue skies and on time flights. The next day would be clouded with smoke from two burning skyscrapers.

On the 10th of September 2001, the armed forces in the United States were considered to be peacetime military. The next day, war was declared on terrorism. Broadway was showing “Les Miserables.” George W. Bush had a 55% approval rating after only 7 months in office. On the evening of the 10th, he was enjoying a leisurely dinner with his brother Jeb in Florida. It would mark the end of such days in just a few hours. 2,977 people went about their business in a carefree manner, without much thought about what would happen the next day. They would become part of a list of statistics that no one wanted to read. The congress was in a state of division – much like today. The next day, we were no longer a nation divided. We were all Americans. Flags were purchased and flown in honor of our nation. A few days later they would all have been sold out. Patriotic songs were sung in churches all over America.

It was probably a day like any other, for most of us. When we woke the next morning and turned on the news, we were stunned by what was happening in New York. We felt violated as a nation, vulnerable, unsafe, fearful. Twenty two years have passed since that fateful day. Today we are once again a nation divided. Crime is running rampant. Technology is pretty much in control of everything. Focus is on gender identity, Artificial Intelligence and climate change. Violence is the fare of the day and morality is in the sewer. We are not currently in a war. Law enforcement is undergoing great changes. We have just come off of a three-year period of isolation. We rarely communicate the way we should. Our words are often mis-interpreted. Our churches are suffering for membership. There is lack of patriotism in our country. Kids are afraid of going to school for fear of mass shootings. Did we learn anything from the past?

One thing I know for sure is that God never changes. He will be the same as He was at the beginning of time throughout eternity. We can count on Him. We should count on Him. He is the only One we can count on.

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV “ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”