How Should Christians Spend September 11?

It’s that week of the year when the world collectively turns its thoughts back to 11th September 2001.

In some respects, 9/11 seems like so long ago. When we consider the events of our own lives, we may be surprised by how much has changed. Perhaps we have switched jobs half a dozen times. We may have moved houses or even embarked on a new interstate adventure. We may have fallen in and out of love – perhaps more than once. We have an additional seven years’ worth of experience – and we’re hopefully seven years wiser as well!

Yet the events of 9/11 also seem so recent. Most of us can still recall the awe – which quickly gave way to horror – when we heard the first unbelieving rumours of terrorism and death on a huge scale.

As our armed forces continue in their efforts to bring peace to the Middle East, as our politicians argue for and against aggressive action in the houses of parliament, as our pastors preach in the pulpits on whether any form of warfare is justifiable in the eyes of God, we as Christians may well be confused. How are we to spend the anniversary of 9/11?

• Should we grieve for those who were killed?
• Should we seek revenge against the perpetrators of the attack?
• Should we exercise Christ’s example and forgive them?

There is a course of action that we can take that is both practical and honouring to God. That action is to pray.

The events of 11th September 2001 did not catch God off-guard. He was fully in control that day, just as He has been in control during every day of despair and grief throughout history. He allowed 9/11 to happen, knowing that His Son has already conquered death and that time is ticking down to when He will judge every act of injustice.

God has allotted a day when He will judge the terrorists – just as He will judge all of us – and for that reason we must leave it to God to distribute their punishment. Our task is to forgive the terrorists and to pray that they will come to faith in Christ, for only Christ has the power to break them from the stronghold of radical Islam.

This week, as we remember the events of 9/11, here’s what we can do:

• Forgive the terrorists who were involved in the attack
• Pray for the terrorists to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ
• Praise and honour God for who He is and that He has always been in control

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