Out of the Fire

Throughout our lives, when we experience those "wake-up calls," we can decide how we will respond - in faith, to move toward Christ, or in fear or anger, drawing us away from Him. 1st Peter 4 offers insight into God's desired response:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

We are not exempt from suffering in this life.  But, the clear teaching of Scripture is that through our trials, we become stronger in the Lord.  As Paul relates in 2nd Corinthians 12, in our weakness, in our suffering, we can know the grace and power of the Lord.  James 1 teaches us that trials bring patience. We can make sure that we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit when we encounter difficulty, so that we can respond correctly and Biblically to adversity.

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We have been placed in this world in order to carry out the instructions of our Heavenly Father, and we will encounter adversity, through which we can be refined. 2nd Corinthians 4 states:
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

On September 11, 2001, Stanley Praimnath, who is now in his 60's, was on the 81st floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, according to TIME Magazine.   A story from the Religion Unplugged website published three years ago provided the context for his experience:

He dove under his desk just before the plane struck, and he held on against the air pressure until he was able to stand. He saw a flashlight through the darkness and went toward it, and he and the man holding it began their descent that delivered them from the skyscraper minutes before it collapsed.

The other man was Brian Clark, a bank vice president who was making his way down from the 84th floor and stopped when he heard Praimnath’s cries. They’ve been like brothers ever since. The one shoe Praimnath had on as he walked down those stairs is a treasured keepsake, stored in a box with “deliverance” written all the way around its exterior. Shards of glass are embedded in its thick rubber sole.

The story says that Praimnath was the "only known survivor from the impact zone where United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the building."  He attributes his survival to the grace of God - the story relates:

While the anniversary is difficult for many survivors and relatives of those who died, for Praimnath it is a reminder of God’s grace. He has gotten speaking requests from all over the country in the years since the attacks and tries to grant as many as he can. He’s booked for anniversary talks through 2021. He’ll spend the 20th anniversary at a church in Yuba City, Calif.

Following the attacks, he began to speak in churches on the anniversary year after year. He said, “I figured if God is going to hold his side of the bargain, letting me live, well then I’m obligated to hold my side of the bargain..."

The article noted that Stanley married Jennifer Persram and was, and continues to be, an associate pastor at a church in New York City.  His father-in-law is the Lead Pastor.  The article at Religion Unplugged said, "Church became a priority for Praimnath after he met Jennifer. His faith was strong when the first World Trade Center bombing happened in 1993, which he was also present for. It wasn’t until 9/11, though, that God really got his attention, he said."

For many, 9/11 was a wake-up call - it was short-lived, it seems, but for a few weeks, there was a sense of devotion to God that had been rekindled in our nation.  But, while in some areas, such as national security, things permanently changed, spiritually, it seemed to get back to business as usual.

But, that wasn't the case for Stanley Praimnath.  And, when we experience a crisis - a "wake-up call" - we have to make sure that we are learning God's intended lesson for us.  We can choose to go back to business as usual, or we can depend on Him to change our perspective and/or our practice.  He calls us to draw near to Him when we are in need and not rely on ourselves.

The events of 9/11 can serve to remind us of the dangerous world we inhabit.  There are nations who want to take us out just because of what we represent.  For instance, just this morning, I saw a report on Iran, which is steeped in radical Islamic theology and certainly has nuclear ambitions, has developed "suicide drone" technology that could affect major cities in Israel.  It is being reported on numerous news websites.   In major American cities, there are concerns about increases in violent crime.  Left unchecked, the enemy works his evil - it should propel Christian believers to be in prayer for an expression of God's power.