Like many, I will never forget where I was and what I was doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. As I waited to hear news of friends and family involved, I was hit with a sense of fear that life as we knew it in the United States of America would never be the same.
Several days later, while talking with some friends that did get out of the building alive, I learned of the incredible heroism of many men and women who set aside their comfort, their reason and for many their very lives to rescue men and women, boys and girls from the grip of a fiery grave. One friend described a fireman sitting with a disabled man giving comfort to him while hundreds of people passed by trying to escape. Another described firemen going up the stairwell towards the fire to find any one who might still be alive, only to realize in just moments that they would enter into eternity trying to help out a fellow human being. All of the police, fireman, priests, etc. that perished in those buildings that day did not know what the future held. They were not guaranteed that they would ever return to their jobs, their homes, their families, all they knew was that duty was calling them and in their eyes, duty was the highest calling that they had on their lives. When surviving public servants were asked, “why did you enter those fiery towers?” they responded, that they were doing what they were called to do, their job!.
There have been many other hero’s in history that entered a “fiery building” to set the captives free, Moses entered Pharaoh's chambers, Esther entered the Kings court, Elijah entered the prophet of Baal’s territory, David entered Goliath's field, Abraham went to a mountain that He’d never been to before, Daniel entered the lion’s den and his three friends an actual furnace. Each of these had a calling too. It was a calling from the God of the Universe. His call was to obey. To trust in His word above the unknown, the unseen, the unclear, the unbelievable. Each one lived a life of “going without knowing” the outcome. However, they all were just “doing their job”, which was obedience to their Master.
We share a deep gratitude for the hero’s of September 11th. Even though we may never get a hero’s title, we too have been called to be “Fire rescuers”. When God calls us to “enter the building” He is looking to provide someone with life eternal.
Will you be willing to enter into someone’s “burning building” of life when called on by the Master? Remember as you do that Jesus is right by your side and will lead and guide you through.
Where or to whom is He calling you today? Because He is worthy, “get up early” and go!
With you on the journey,
Pastor MJ
No comments:
Post a Comment