On September 11, 2001, the day of the World Trade Center tragedy, I was at school only a few blocks away from ground zero. I was sitting in my second class of the day when our assistant principal announced to the school that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. The announcement initially created a stir, but, assuming it was only an accident, we dismissed it as news that would be reported that day and forgotten the next.
When I arrived at my next class, I found my classmates watching our classroom TV with our president assuring the country that those involved in the "terrorism" of that morning would be found. It was only then I learned that the crash was no mere accident; it was an act that would undeniably affect us all. This was confirmed when we lost TV reception, the classroom lights flickered, and we felt the school tremble. We were soon instructed to evacuate the building. As we headed for the exit, the lights flickered again with the sudden shaking of the building. Panic swiftly swept over the student body—some emitted shrieks, others darted towards the crowded exit. Sensing the momentary panic, I felt hysteria rising within me, but only for a brief moment. Somehow, I knew that even in the situation we were in, where our safety could not be guaranteed, I didn't need to panic; I had the Lord Jesus within me.
God was with me, as He had promised in the Bible He always would be, and I did not need to be afraid. That is what Deuteronomy 31:6 says: "Be strong and take courage; do not fear, neither be terrified of them, for it is Jehovah your God who goes with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you." Romans 10:13 tells us that "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," and I needed to be saved from all my fears. In Psalm 91:15, the Lord says, "He will call upon Me, and I will answer Him. I will be with Him in distress." These verses were very comforting to me. As I exited the building, debris from the collapsed towers was flying in every direction. I observed the spectrum of reactions of those around me. Some still seemed carefree, as if nothing serious had happened, while others grew increasingly hysterical and terrified. As I looked around at my peers, I realized that while deeply affected by the gravity of the situation, I remained calm and secure within my deepest part. America's sense of security had collapsed with the Towers, but I still felt protected. This, I recognized, was the Lord Jesus' presence within my spirit. That day, He reunited me with my mom and kept our trip home safe and sound.
That night in a church prayer meeting, the words of a hymn we sang reflected what I had experienced with the Lord Jesus that morning:
"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand."
In the next stanza of the hymn, the Lord Jesus seemed to make a promise to the people of New York:
"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress."
And to each individual affected by the tragedy,
"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake!"
Even in a time like this, when our own human, man-made sense of security is shattered, there is one thing that is, and always will be, still intact, still definite, still secure. The Twin Towers—so strong, so resolute, and seemingly so permanent—disappeared in less than two hours. The Lord Jesus, however, is forever solid and sure, and He is always with His own. When we accept Him and receive Him as our Savior and life, He enters into our spirit and resides there to live each day together with us. In difficult times, we can be assured that God is still with us. In Psalm 23, the author prays to God, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I do not fear evil, for You are with me." Today, God is not only with us, He can live within us as well. Romans 10:13 tells us that "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." That means that just by calling on His name—just by calling "O Lord Jesus"—with an open and earnest heart, we can be saved from our sorrows and fears. We are saved simply by letting the Lord Jesus enter into us and dwell within our heart.
R. L.
Stuyvesant High School
New York City
No matter what your situation, Jesus Christ desires to come into you to be your indestructible life. To receive Him, please open your heart right now and pray the following:
O Lord Jesus! Thank You for speaking Your words of life to me. I have heard Your words and believe them. You are the solid rock and the indestructible life. You died and resurrected so that I could live. I believe in You and receive You right now. Thank You for saving me!
