America

The Statue of Liberty

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Known worldwide as a symbol of American freedom, the Statue of Liberty was actually a gift to the American people funded by people from all around the world with its design and planning done by the nation of France. Though I had seen it from the air, I didn’t have the chance to visit the statue up close and personal, until just a few years ago with some friends of ours. As we began to enter, I noticed on a wall inside the base an inscription written by the American poet Emma Lazarus. This was a poem she had originally written as part of an effort to raise funds for the project. Though the statue itself was dedicated and opened to the public in 1886, her poem was forgotten. But friends of Emma remembered her words and continued to lobby for them to be included until finally a bronze plaque with her timeless lines was added in 1903. Its second verse which is most remembered says:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

As we approach Memorial Day I am thankful for the freedoms I can enjoy because of the sacrifice of so many men and women who died defending the ideas behind the lines on the Statue of Liberty. But those words should also remind us of another person who came to offer an even greater freedom to captives, 2,000 years ago. His name was Jesus and He did not raise a torch, but instead He Himself was raised up and nailed to a cross. There He suffered and died in exchange for freedom from sin and death for anyone who would come to Him in faith. Today, Jesus is still calling out.  His words are not etched on a bronze plaque instead they are but by the spoken by Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

How God Heals Broken Nations

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But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. James 4:6

I have rarely posted a message from any pastor on my blog, not because I think there is anything wrong with it but because I do not consider this venue a productive place to do so. We all have our own churches with varying callings and visions for service in our local communities. However due to the urgency and depth of our nation’s crisis and because I personally was so challenged by Pastor Rick Warren’s message, I have posted it for you today. May God grant each of us mercy and may we with humble sincere hearts call out for God’s forgiveness, healing and restoration of our hearts, our families, our churches and our nation. May God bless you and I as we join together in humbly asking His help, His grace and His healing and direction for our future.

Pausing to Remember

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On September 10, 2001 Nancy and I flew home safely past the Statue of Liberty to land in Newark. Were returning from visiting family in California and I looked forward to getting back to our normal schedule.

The next morning I got up and went back to work. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was mowing the big lawn behind one house where I had worked for many years. When I noticed the owner’s wife walking down the hill from the house I was quite surprised as she rarely walked around the grounds.

So I turned off my big mower and went up to see what she needed. “Hi Radica. What can I do for you?” I asked as I got off the seat of the lawn tractor to greet her.

She looked blankly up at me as she responded, “An airplane flew into the World trade Center and the towers just fell down.”

“Are you sure?” I asked incredulously. “They’re so big. I can’t believe it.”

“That’s what they are saying on the news.” she answered softly. “I’ve got to get back to the house and see what is going on.”

At first I just went down tot he truck and turned on my radio to double check that she understood everything correctly because the idea that anything so big could fall over seemed unreal. But I was stunned with the reports I heard as I tuned into the local radio station. Everything she had said was true: and more. A few minutes later I meekly knocked on her door and asked if I could watch with her. It felt as if our life was about to end and that everything we had been so concerned about the previous hour didn’t matter at all. There we sat together listening as new and terrible reports came in of other planes being hijacked and burning buildings. Nothing made any sense but somehow I finally excused myself as she watched with tears running down her face and I put my tools away to go home to my family.

This is exactly where I was that day

How little did Nancy and I know when we woke that morning that we would be spared while others would never be able to go home. Now 19 years later as I am looking back at that day it still doesn’t seem real. It still doesn’t make sense. But I have learned that in a life often filled with terrible things that don’t make sense to always be thankful for every one of God’s smallest blessings and that as He gives us ability we should always be ready to serve in every way He gives.