At last count, 6,500 innocent lives perished on September 11, 2001 in the worst terrorist attack ever. A nation in shock rose to the challenge by giving blood, money, food and clothing. A nation turned to a national prayer service. At both Ground Zeros, the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, a nation learned what real heroes are all about. Firefighters and policeman laid their lives on the line to save others. Stressed and broken over the sight of devastation and the severed body parts in which they worked, rescuers labored to the point of exhaustion, clinging to the hope that someone might still be alive. A nation mourned together, wept together, prayed together and united together to stop future acts of terrorism. John 15:13 says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." God hates the shedding of innocent blood!

Over 35,000,000 innocent lives have been taken in this nation since the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973. On average, about 4,000 unborn lives are taken daily in our land. In any two day period, we surpass the tragedy of the attack on America by more than 1,500 lives. Does God wonder where the heroes are to save the lives of the ones who have not been given the right to be heard? Where are those who are stressed and broken over the sight of devastation, as the remains of the innocent are disposed of in dumpsters nationwide? Where are those who mourn, and weep, and pray for our nation to stop these acts of silent terrorism? God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee." He also knew you and I in the same way. Proverbs 6:16-17 states, "These six things does the Lord hate; . . . HANDS that shed innocent blood."

Is it possible that before Osama and Company attacked our nation, we might have been attacking our future from within? Our government searches for ways to save Social Security, but have they thought that they could be killing the program by killing the innocent unborn millions who could be paying into the program today? This will no doubt bring dark days ahead for our nation's seniors who will retire to nothing after paying into Social Security most of their lives. Is it possible the very cure God may have given us for cancer is lost forever, because that individual was not allowed to be born? Psalms 103:8-9 says, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever."

We've thrown God out of Government. We've thrown Him out of public schools. We're removing His moral laws from courthouse walls nationwide. We have removed Him from our hearts and lives and only come to Him in times of trouble. Some of us dare get mad at Him, but could He just be trying to get our attention? Other nations once looked at America and saw "In God We Trust", but we have perverted the light we once let shine throughout the world. Praise God that we are now singing as a nation, "God Bless America". Look what it has taken to bring us to that point! Have we realized He already has blessed America? What have we done with those blessings? This is not our forefathers' vision of America! Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." There is always hope though. One of God's many attributes is His patience. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "But (God) is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God understands terrorism. Long before America was attacked, we were all victimized by terrorism. In the quiet of a perfect world in the Garden of Eden, man was silently put to the test by the King of terrorism, Satan himself. We failed. Our failure came with a great price. The curse of death was passed to us all. We disobeyed God. Ourdisobedience (sin) has separated us from our holy creator. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23a says, "For the wages of sin is death." The three attributes of God that we can all be very thankful for are His mercy, grace and love. Some 4,000 years after this first terrorist attack, God demonstrated His love by sending us a hero to Ground Zero, God Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, the very creator of our world. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Romans 6:23b also says, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." We must be born again, the Bible says, or we will not see the Kingdom of God.

God hates the shedding of innocent blood, and that's exactly what Jesus had to do here on earth. This was the price God paid for this first terrorist attack. Why? Because God is also love! Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He came in human form and was tempted Himself by the king of terror. He did not give in and He led the only sinless life anyone ever has or ever will live on this earth! It is only by His shed blood that our sin is washed away. Jesus died a brutal death because He wants us to be with Him forever. He wants us to experience the second birth, a spiritual birth. John 1:12 says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." Ask Jesus to forgive your sins. Receive Him into your heart, ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour, and you shall be born again. If there is any way we could get to heaven on our own, then Jesus died in vain! Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

God called Israel as His chosen people. Many times they strayed from Him, and His long sufferance ran out. Many times other nations would capture them as punishment, but Israel would repent of their sins and God would lead them back out of their oppression. I believe that God has been behind America from its beginning as a place of freedom to worship Him and to spread His Gospel. We are a nation that sends missionaries to other nations around the world to tell them of God's great love and God's gift of His Son to man. I'm concerned however that we have strayed away from Him, pushing His long sufferance to its limits. As far as the attacks on America are concerned, they very well might have been a wake-up call from God, but remember 2 Chronicles 7:14 says "If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."