Daily Truth: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship You.” Psalm 22:27
Today we remember and think about those who lost their lives and their families in the events of 9/11. We all know where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the news. It is a day forever etched into our minds.
I was teaching preschool as adults came into our rooms to tell us in a hushed tone what was happening. The director came in to each class and took our place in teaching so we could watch the news for a brief moment. It was difficult to describe the gravity of the situation but pictures spoke vividly of the tragedy, loss of life, and astonishment that anyone could cause so much devastation.
Upon entering back into my classroom knowing that this world, specifically the United States of America, had drastically changed many thoughts were rushing through my mind. I was asking myself so many questions. Were we safe? How could this happen? Is my family safe? What about all the people in those buildings? How will the rescue workers do their jobs? Will there be another attack?
Once back teaching my class of preschoolers I tried to push back the events just witnessed streamed by the media. As an adult, parent, grandparent, or teacher you want to protect and shelter young minds from the hate and evil in the world when it rears its ugly head. Yet, we have a responsibility to teach about the past. Events that affect us first hand are different then those that have been told to us. We must engage and teach in an age appropriate way the things we have learned and most importantly how God saw us through those difficult times.
As adults we need to thoughtfully teach children, the next generation, about the events of the past. Children do not need all the details but to point out that there are things in this world that are sad and wrong is important. God does this with us, His children, in giving us memorials of various kinds so we will stop and think before making the same mistake or giving us memorials to remind us of His great love, mercy, and power.
Did you know that the word “remember” is found 163 times in the NKJV of the Bible? The first time “remember” is found is in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis 9:15 “I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” As a reminder to us God placed a rainbow in the sky as a symbol to remind us of His promise.
The writer of Psalm 78 reminds us of lessons we should learn from history. Adults need to teach about the past because much is learned from mistakes. Psalm 78 is called the “Psalm of Forgetfulness”. Psalm 78:42 says, “They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy.”
May we never forget what we have been through, too ashamed, or grieved to in someway share so others may benefit and grow. God allows things for His purpose and His glory. It is up to us to cling to those rays of hope and God’s Sovereignty and share memories with our children so they too can build a bridge of trust to God and ultimately His Son, Jesus Christ.
God asked the Israelites many times in the Old Testament to build memorials in remembrance of specific events. We too then should build memorials of some kind in remembrance of things that occur in our families’ lives. Photos on the wall, photos in a photo book, mementos in a specific spot in your home, stories where God’s protection of family members can be written down are just a few ways to share with our children God’s love and mercy.
God, in His Word, gives us visual reminders (rainbow, monuments), auditory reminders (writing things down to be read to others) and kinesthetic reminders (monuments, and other things we can touch) to help us remember what He wants us to learn. We too should think of various ways in which we can help our children remember events of the past.
What events have occurred in your family that need to be remembered so your family will never forget God’s goodness and protection?
The families of 9/11 wanted a memorial to honor and remember their loved ones. These families created a memorial before anything was built. We need reminders so we and the generations to follow will never forget. We are a forgetting people. In what ways will you remember 9/11 with your children?
Until the next “Truth” sharing moment,
Cathy Jo Johnson
