Day Four
Psalm 57:1b. In the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until the time of trouble has gone by.

Americans seem to have lived a charmed life. Or so many of us thought until September 11, 2001.

Set apart by vast oceans, our nation has experienced a degree of security rare in the history of the world. Rich in natural resources, stable government and human enterprise, we have enjoyed unparalleled prosperity.

Suddenly, everything’s changed. Serene order has collided head-on with tragic chaos. Our fragile hold on things has been ripped from our fingers. The very ground under our feet has shifted. We are vulnerable, exposed.

I feel nausea, like sea-sickness. I recognize this as grief. I know that there will be waves of numbness, disorientation, anger and depression…perhaps even despair.

Then I remember: I did nothing to earn life. I can do nothing to hold onto it. I am not God. God is God.

And we are God’s.

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.