The 25th Anniversary of 9/11

In the days after 9/11, crowds were drawn to the site of the Twin Towers, the pile of rubble where two of the world’s tallest, proudest skyscrapers had recently stood. The crowds, actually, were no surprise; the whole world sensed this was now a historic site. What was strange was the smoke that continued to rise from the still smoldering ruin—weeks, even months, after the tragedy.

It seems to be true that everyone remembers where he or she was, what they were doing, when they first heard of the events of 9/11. And they ought to be remembered. Especially this week, the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11. We should remember the lives lost, the reality of unspeakable evil, and the heroism of those who rushed to help—some of them becoming additional victims. We should remember and continue to pray for those who lost loved ones, and that those who espouse such evil would be brought to saving faith in Christ Jesus

But we will not remember it forever. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. . . . For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Ps 103:2–6, 11–12). Because by his death and resurrection Christ has removed our sins far from us, we will someday forget every tragedy, even 9/11. But we will never forget all the Lord’s benefits. We will live in them forever.

Blessings,
Pastor Bryan E. Drebes

Rev. Bryan Drebes is Pastor at Pacific Hills Lutheran Church in Omaha Nebraska

Pastor Drebes attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, beginning in 1997.  He spent the summer of 1999 teaching English to Chinese middle school teachers in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.  He served a four-month vicarage at St. John Lutheran Church, Plymouth, Wisconsin, followed by eight months at Bethany Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas. Pastor Drebes was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry at Zion Lutheran Church, Palmyra, Missouri on August 19, 2001, and installed as Associate Pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas on September 9, 2001.  He served Bethany for 14 years.  Pastor Drebes accepted a Divine