9-11

The Imperative of Love – September Community

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After watching many September 11th video replays, I thought of my memory of people saying, weeks and months later that “I miss us as a community being September 12th people”… yes, the day after when we were picking up the pieces and each other…

Yes, September 12th 13th 14th… 2001… etc… for the next few weeks and months we looked to each other for comfort, for understanding (which there was and is little in a devastating tragedy like that), and we also looked at the people helping and we became helpers too, in processing and donations. Surely we held our family more dear, we were more somber and polite, and we rallied around and we built and rebuilt community just as the rubble removed from the crash sites, the phoenix rose from the ashes just like the beautiful Oculus metro station, if you’ve been there, it’s gorgeous rising, just as new buildings rose, just as the water pool installations were placed for memorial and a place of reflection. People who don’t know each other gather as community. And those who did know each other came to churches – and rallied each other  – comforted – and asked God “why?” – and stayed in community for a while… solace in sincerity in community…

One of my favorite Mister Rogers’ sayings is that his mother always said: “in the middle of a tragedy, look for the helpers” – and oh yeah, Sept 12th, that brought community – I know somebody who lived on Long Island as a specialized surgeon and yet as any medical professional, they were sent to ground zero to try to help with recovery, but there was nothing they could do. They couldn’t apply their specialized skill set to that situation. However, they could bring us a first hand account of the situation. Then there were chefs, celebrity chefs, who brought their whole restaurant crews and food supply and cooking and continually served the first responders and the workers for months. There were musical celebrities who put together concerts for fundraising. And surely my favorite Bruce Springsteen song called “The Rising” detailed the flight and plight of first responders, firemen rising up the stairs. While everybody else was getting out, and then surely rising up to Heaven as those towers fell. Jesus reached and they rose.

The firefighters did not hesitate, because that was what they did in community. And still live in community and for community.

And that could be our reminder every September to re-start and re-join community.

We do need each other – when Mister Rogers says “look for the helpers” – that could be us – we could be the helpers too. We are to keep the Lord’s commandments and step into this life as His Hands and Feet – and abide in doing what He calls us to do – and listen for the Holy Spirit:  “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” 1st John 3:24

So – COMMUNITY – may we continue in community today – and remember that we are not alone here on earth – even if we belong to our heavenly home – we are to be His community here on earth. THE SPIRIT WILL GUIDE US!

Amen

These are the lyrics of part of the song “The Rising”:

Can’t see nothing in front of me
Can’t see nothing coming up behind
Make my way through this darkness
I can’t feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I’ve gone
How far I’ve gone, how high I’ve climbed
On my back’s a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder, a half-mile line
[Chorus]
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

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1st John 3:10-24 NKJV

The Imperative of Love
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

A Savior Saving Reflection in Zechariah 9-11

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For the Lord Almighty will care for His flock.

It’s not lost on me that at this end of the week is Feb 1st, my 10 year anniversary of KNOWING I had awakened to know, accept, and never turn back from believing in Jesus as the Son of God, as my Lord and Savior, 100%. 10 years, ah just starting this journey, but wow how the Lord has sustained me!

This life with Jesus for each of us is both the pinnacle and just the beginning. The continued part of walking with Jesus is the TRUST, the calling Him LORD, and then the FOLLOWING. Yes, we are SAVED, and now we SAVOR that hope and understanding. May we also STRENGTHEN to allow God to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit given to us.

What a gift to catch up of Jesus’s Story!  Ah, 9-11, those numbers speak of rescue and help, the code for emergency calls, and emergency rescues. The September 2001 9-11 to connect to my awakening, is with the 9-11 garden locally, as it was there, in reflection, standing touching the steel beam monument memorial, at the middle end of an all encompassing day, that only God knew and planned for me to be with Him. It was in that moment both a respite of reflection and a moment of me lost then found. AND I knew it!!! I knew my mental shift made a difference FOREVER for Forever, and all the difference now. The thought of God’s reach to reach out to each of us, and I awoke bundled and bouncing in our Fisherman’s Net. Saved.

So “9-11” to show up in numbers this week is meaningful to me for reflection upon the connectiveness of God’s journey to ours to mine. Nine through eleven, 9-11, is like the next chapters in Zechariah of my journey reading and writing thru the whole bible. It’s been a long journey, so worth it. It’s a garden of life we live in. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.

In Zechariah, the people are returning from exile. Aren’t we too? We are, returning to worship of the Lord forever by the shepherding of the Lord. 

I think specifically that reading the Old Testament is like watching Jesus’s Home Movies, Him saying: “See my birth gets mentioned there!”, “See how Our Father had mercy there?”, “See how we warned people there, saved people there, set the stage for the prophets?”, and “From prophesy then we stuck the landing as if the world was really twirling like a figure skater, but we had it all under control. ” … hypothetical speaking of course…

Jesus’s Home Movies fly off the page in 9-11 Zechariah, as he tells how these wandering Israelites and Judah-ites fit into the future – and how He kept the remnant going:

“Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah…”

“From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler.”

“See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Yes! What do we do know, knowing both the Lord and SOME of His backstory? TO LIVE in appreciation of the journey. Accept God’s grace and mercy as marching orders for each day, and take in His strengthening for the journey ahead.

“I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely,” declares the Lord.

Amen

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Zechariah 9-11:4

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

A prophecy:

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus – for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord – and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful. Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire. Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted. A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod, and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines. I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.

The Coming of Zion’s King

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword.

The Lord Will Appear

Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

The Lord Will Care for Judah

Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.

“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler. Together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.

“I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them. The Ephraimites will become like warriors, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord. I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before.Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return. I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them. They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely,” declares the Lord.

Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down! Listen to the wail of the shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions; the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined!