Surviving

In 1st Peter 1, we are told about the hope - the living hope - we can experience, even in our time of
trial; a hope that can help us to endure, to survive, and to see God's purpose fulfilled in us:
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...

We may be in one or more of three stages this day: in a trial, having just been through a trial, or facing one in the future.  If we are in the midst of adversity, we can look to the Lord for the strength to survive.  If we have survived, we can give glory and honor to God for how He has brought us through.  And, we can be assured that He has worked and will continue to work according to His purpose, preparing us for the adversity we will encounter in the future.

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We can trust the Lord to go with us, especially in those times when we face trials and tribulations -
He enables us to be survivors to His glory, as He performs His purposes. James 1 states:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

This day, we continue to commemorate the dreadful events of September 11, 2001, and recognize the incredible stories of survival from that day.

There is a picture that was taken by an Associated Press photographer of a firefighter on a park bench.  The Telegraph identified the man as Dan Potter, and states:

Slumped on a bench, his firefighter’s uniform caked in dust, his head bowed, Dan Potter ran his hand through his hair, dejected and distraught. He had just experienced two near-miraculous escapes from the collapses of both towers. But at the moment this picture was taken, he was feeling despair, not relief.

For Mr Potter had just accepted that his wife, Jean, had died in the North Tower, where she worked on the 81st floor. He had been clinging to the hope that she might have made it out and returned to their apartment block.

He had been transferred from a fire station in the city to Staten Island a few months before the events of that day - he went to their apartment in the city from the island and she wasn't there - he thought that maybe she had escaped to the roof, where there would have been no escape.  But, later, he found out she had survived.

CBN did a story on the Potters, and provides information about Jean's escape down the staircase from the 81st floor and encouragement she believes she received from the Lord along the path to escape.  She recounts:

"He was with all of us that day, and I don't want people to think that we were so special because we were saved," Jean said. "I mean it wasn't our time, and He was with those who were passing over, and it's just a great privilege to speak about Him."

Life has been tough at times following 9/11. The Potters have dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder, and Dan had to retire as a firefighter because of the injuries he suffered on Sept. 11, 2001.

Yet, in spite of the attacks and the difficulties that have followed, the faith of Jean and Dan remains strong. They hope those who read and hear their story will also trust in God.

Sujo John and his wife were also working on the 81st floor.  His story was included in the National Geographic series, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.  He also has a video on the I Am Second website. The Christian Post reported on John's story:

"As the building is collapsing there is people with me and I'm huddled with them. I felt God speak to me in a very still voice, I felt God say, 'It's going to be ok,'" John tells Freeman.

The actor inquires, "You heard the voice of God? [He] spoke to you?"

John responds, "I did not hear God speak to me in an audible way but I felt God's inner voice speak to me and ask people to pray with me."

John prayed calling on the name of Jesus and they prayed with him as the ground shook and debris fell on them. He said he resigned to the fact that he was going to die because he was buried under the rumble. John, however, saw a red light and crawled out from under the debris to find that those he had just prayed with did not survive.

Jean Potter also recounted guidance from God as she made her way out of the tower.

Sujo John's wife also survived the events of that day.  In the National Geographic series, Sujo is quoted as saying:

"Life on earth is such that no one is guaranteed today or tomorrow. Every human being on this earth will face death," John replied. "But here's what I know from my experience. When you walk with God and go through the storms of life you have this peace in the presence of God. So if you carry the presence of God, even if it's going to be death, it's going to be ok."

Morgan Freeman said this: "Sujo John's survival is extraordinary, some say it's miraculous. What's most remarkable to me is that Sujo felt the unmistakable presence of God even while death and destruction were all around him..."

We remember that there were a number of people who survived the attacks of 9-11.  Some three thousand did not.  And, then you have the countless number who were traumatized by what they felt and experienced.  The phrase "never forget" is perhaps more real to them than anyone else, because they are haunted - by encountering the presence of evil.

They survived physically, and some, I would imagine, are working through mental and emotional survival.  But, there is hope in Christ for those who are trapped in trial and trauma.

We can look to God as our companion through our own moments of trying to survive.  You see, life is full of survival stories - our own and those of others.  We can know the leadership of the Holy Spirit as we walk our own road to survival.  We can seek not only to deal with the pains of this life, but to find a deep sense of peace and joy even in the midst of our deepest wounds.  We can be a survivor in Christ.

And, once we have survived overwhelming circumstances - completely or partially - we can consider how we have learned lessons of His faithfulness.  We can know that as the Lord has been faithful to us in the past, so too will he show Himself in our present and our future.

Because, we can admit, we may have survived a trial or period of life in which we have been beset by multiple trials.  Or, we may still be enduring adversity in our life this very day.  Perhaps this is not a time of tribulation - well, you can rest assured that there will be trial in the future.  One of three stages: in a trial, out of a trial, or facing one in the future.  Or all three simultaneously in various areas of our life.  We know God has a purpose and He offers us His presence and His principles, so we might survive, that we may endure.

And, as one of the 9-11 survivors I spotlighted suggested - even in life-threatening physical challenges, death can be a form of survival, because for the believer in Christ, death means being the presence of Jesus.