Contemplating on September 11, 2025
When there are tragedies, such as yesterday’s assassination of Charlie Kirk, or the terrorist attack on 9/11 twenty-four years ago today, or countless other mass shootings, and other suffering produced by natural disasters or by persons with evil intent, a Christian’s response is to pray. And in recent times, this has been considered by some as a do nothing response and an excuse to not respond.
I believe I should examine myself in this, and when I do I come up with two things. The first is that the most important thing that I can do is pray. The second is that I need to additionally respond to love by action and deed.
Prayer and is the Most Important Thing
God can do what I am powerless to do.
I am but a person. I am a sinner saved by grace. I am as powerless to change the heart of a person with evil intent as I am to prevent a hurricane or wildfire. But I know God, the Lord God Almighty, the Great I AM, Creator of the Universe, and Sovereign Ruler of all. And our God is a God who is always good and loving, who not only listens to and answers our prayers, but is all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving. God can do what I am powerless to do.
For His purposes, God allows evil.
God is not the cause of evil. For His own purposes, God allows it. This is, and will always be, difficult to understand this side of heaven. I can say with certainty that God has used suffering in my own life for good. He has used to make me more compassionate towards others who suffer. And God has also used my suffering to bring me into a deeper relationship with Him. I would not trade that for anything in the world.
Others could explain this much better, but let me try to explain why I think God allows evil. God gave us free will. He gave us the freedom to choose to love Him. Otherwise, we would be like robots who would not be able to love. God gave man and woman free will, and they rejected God and chose evil. God allows evil so that His love, grace, mercy, and power could be revealed through the redemptive work of Christ.
To whom else would I go?
I can do nothing on my own. I need God for each breath I take. I need God for each thought I have, each word I speak, and each action I take. I need God’s help for the problems I face day to day. I need God’s love and care. So daily I surrender to God. And I thank Him for the honor and privilege of being able to come before Him, and for His presence with me as I pray. I praise God for who He is, and what He does. I thank God for His many blessings. I ask God’s forgiveness for where I have gone wrong. And I ask God’s help for my needs and the needs of those I know and love.
So when a tragedy happens, to whom else would I go? To whom do I always go? Who is more loving? Who is more powerful? Who is wiser or more capable? Who is more faithful and trustworthy? Of course I go to the God I love!
Love in Action
I am to love in deed and truth
I believe I am to not only bring my prayers before my loving Father, but I am to also called love in action and in truth. Two passages come to mind.
1 John 3:16-18
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
James 2:14-16
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
There are loving actions I can take.
Sometimes it is fairly easy to know loving ways to take action. I can make a meal or bring a basket of fruit to a family who lost a loved one. I can offer to chores or to give rides to those who that might help. (With my own limited mobility, I now have to think carefully about what I can do.) I can offer to be with people, or to watch children. I can give money or items of need.
For tragedies like the assassination of Charlie Kirk or 9/11, it is more difficult to think of an action to take that would demonstrate love.
My brother was in the section of the Pentagon that was hit during 9/11. He survived, but lost good friends and good buddies. Sometimes, he needs to talk about it. I will call him today.
The facts aren’t all in on who killed Charlie Kirk and what his or her motivation was. It’s hard to know how to respond. Perhaps we need to consider the needs of those with mental health issues. I think we need to act on gun laws. (I know that won’t make some readers happy.) I will carefully consider who I vote for and how they are addressing the issue of violence. Somehow, it should be more difficult to kill. But I know the greatest need people have is for Jesus. He alone can change their hearts.
I loved how Charlie Kirk spoke to people. I love how he gave reasonable arguments for his faith, which is the faith I also share. Perhaps I could support the work he did so it will continue.
Responding to Tragedy
I will first respond by praying.
I believe that my first response to tragedy should always be prayer. I humbly come before my loving Father God with tragedy that just occurred. Yes he knows it just happened, and He knows far better than I what those needs are. But I will bring those needs before Him, knowing His love and care, and waiting with anticipation to see Him act.
I will additionally respond by taking loving action.
God calls me to pray and also show His love to others in concrete ways. My response will be different in each situation depending on the need and what I am able to do. But I will actively do what I can to make a difference.
A Prayer
Dearest Father God,
We thank you for Charlie Kirk and the work he did for You. We thank You for the example He set, and how he knew Your Word so well. We thank You that he was always able to give an answer for what He believed. You were his sure and certain hope, and You are who he lived for. We rejoice that he is now forever with You.
But We pray for his family. While they know he is with You, they grieve for his loss. Comfort them, dear Father. You are the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Wrap Your loving arms around them, and allow them to experience Your presence, Your care, Your comfort, and Your love. Allow where they are to be holy ground with You. Move their church and those who are close to them to love them in special, concrete ways. And please show those of us who do not personally know Charlie Kirk how we can respond in a loving concrete way to his death.
Father God, we also pray for the survivors of 9/11, for those with health issues because of it, and for the families of those who lost loved ones. We ask You to draw them close and to heal their emotional and physical wounds.
Father God, please help us show the love You have shown us to others.
We pray these things in Jesus’ name.
For all of us,
Your daughter,
Joy