Ron Mitchell - The Prayer of 9-11

Old Testament Scripture
The New King James Version

Genesis 9/11

Thus I will establish my covenant with you never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall thee be flood to destroy the earth.

Genesis 9/11: After the earth was consumed by the flood, God and unconditional mercy gave us spiritual strength through his covenant with Noah. In the midst of the horrific events of 9/11, how can anyone draw spiritual strength through this scripture? No amount of suffering and pain can diminish the heartache one felt on that September morn. The answer is that we must draw strength from the Word of God. As with Noah, we must find our inheritance in his promised covenant. God is eternal, the same today, tomorrow, and forever. He is the only one who can sustain us in the midst of physical and emotional trauma as one felt in watching the Twin Towers turn to rubble.

No amount of knowledge, wisdom nor insight can prepare us for such a senseless loss of life. What are the pains of heartache and disappointment supposed to feel like? In Proverbs 3:5, we read:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Privately, our emotions vibrated as we mourned those who went to work looking forward to a day at the office. Perhaps some idle chatter while taking a coffee or lunch break among friends and associates on such pretty morning. The lesson here is very simple: never take the mundane things in life for granted. Let us never forget that there is little distinction between light and darkness nor life and death. Both are in many ways indispensable and gifts from the all mighty God.

D eath will separate us from life

but unite us with eternity .

9/11 Stories

A mother who was late for work missed her bus and took the next one, only to arrive in time to witness the mass destruction.

Exodus 9/11

And the Magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.

Exodus 9/11: Here we find Moses before the magicians of Egypt with only the armor of God. One man standing in the midst of despair. This was the sixth plague on the inhabitants of Egypt, that of the boils. God hardened the Pharaohs heart, and he soon learned the costly mistake of disobedience. Pharaoh believed he could disobey a messenger from God. If anything could be said of the appalling events of 9/11, it has to be that we ignored the warning signs of terrorism.

America soon became aware of how fragile life can be. Still all of America and its inhabitants are the most courageous and spirit-filled people on earth. Moses had his brother, Aaron, for support as we cried on each others shoulders. Discouraged with death and suffering, collectively and in prayer, we stood together as one nation under God. How soon we learned that the multitudes of dreams, both good and bad, dont separate us from the conflict of reality? On our knees we turned to God to remove the cloud of affliction.

Pharaoh looked to his magicians for help. As mortal human beings, we cried out to a merciful God. For all one has to do is look where the Towers once stood to realize that a life without God is a morbid state of terminal darkness. The hopes of The Prayer of 9/11 is that among the thorns we somehow find the roses. For the only way to be free from the boils of life and suffering is by the meaning of E l S haddai .

T rue faith is not always defined by victory

but in the silence of defeat .

9/11 Stories

A man who survived the collapse of the Twin Towers and also survived cancertwice saved.

Leviticus 9/11

The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp.

Leviticus 9/11: In this portion of our prayers, we see Gods ultimate plan for the redemption of mankind.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood. (Leviticus 17:11)

The sacrificial system formed by God after the Garden of Eden was to be performed outside the camp and city gates. This was going to be a sin offering given by the High Priest. It was considered unclean for the blood to be near the Holy of Holies or for that matter, the city itself. Moreover, in addition to being unclean, all practical steps were taken to keep the pungent aroma of the sacrifice from those not in attendance.

In comparison, there was no way to conceal the agonizing events of 9/11 from those outside the city gates or for that matter, the entire world! Images were forever etched in our hearts and mind soon gave way to the insatiable longing to help others. Donations, words of sympathy, and tears from all over the world flooded our shores. Would life ever be the same again? Priorities and desires of those within our hearts were changed forevermore. This was not the Garden of Eden nor the sacrificial system God had in mind. It was mans depravity upon man. Because of 9/11, there was indeed rivers of tears, but this time, they flowed outside the city gates.

T he sacrificial system along with its suffering

can be a good teacher, the benefits of

which will be the final grade.

9/11 Stories

Lest we forget the NYC firefighters who rushed into burning buildings to save victims.

Numbers 9/11

On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

Numbers 9/11: Here is Gods reminder to the House of Israel never to forget their freedom from bondage. The Bible does an excellent job of reminding us of major events in history that should be committed to memory from the Ten Commandments to the feeding of the five thousand, from Genesis to Revelation, events both good and bad that give us biblical answers to our relationship with life and God. The divine order of things to come doesnt always give us a source of pleasure. Mans rebellion to that which God has created will never loosen the chains of bondage. The flood and the Crucifixion bring attention to some examples of painful events in human history.

Moreover, our sovereign God wants His children to never forget that humility and compassion are both elements of suffering. Many people have lost faith from traumatic events that occur every day. In light of that, what shall we remember from 9/11 other than the obvious? Memories of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice? The men, women, and children aboard the doomed flights? In todays prayer, we read that God wants us to remember that perhaps the final chapter has not been written. The image of God can be found in all kinds of circumstances. Todays prayer tells a young Hebrew nation never to forget the cost of freedom from bondage. We, the people of 9/11, should never forget that only an all-powerful God can free us from that which man attempts to kill.

B e free from bondage and the kingdom of evil .

T hough pain and suffering will test our faith,

remember the empty tomb.

9/11 Stories

Once again, who can forget the images of firefighters standing on top of the debris pulling out bodies from under the rubble?

Deuteronomy 9/11

And it came to pass, at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.

Deuteronomy 9/11: Here Moses had to wait forty days and nights for the signature of God when he received the Ten Commandments. This is the only recorded event in history where it is written with the finger of God. Can anyone comprehend what it is like holding Gods laws in their hand? Unfortunately, sin was on a rampage, and the intimacy with God was nowhere to be found. God could no longer endure the chaos and wanton disobedience of his Chosen People. The young nation of which God loved and created became the stiff-necked people who turned against their creator. The Lord sent Moses back down the mountain to deal with the problem of mans arrogant and intolerant behavior.