Email from the Pentagon: “God is Still With Us”
Amidst the patriotism, the sympathy and the grief are many Americans asking “Where was God on September 11, 2001?”
Some of us who watched the terror from afar tended to ask such impertinent questions, but those who were there for the tragedy- those present when General Van Antwerp spoke to his people at the Pentagon - they did not question God, but ran to Him. It was like revisiting Haggai 1:13 when “ the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people, said, I am with you, saith the Lord”
The message was credible because General Antwerp was delivering what he himself had received some 20 years prior when he realized that God’s eternal gift described in I Corinthians 15:3 and 4 included him : [3] “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”...and at that point he received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.
It’s been said that when terrible things happen to those you do not know personally, it is drama, but when terrible things happen to those you love, it is tragedy. In the midst of the tragedy at the Pentagon, and among those who heard the General’s message was “Dave” - so touched with God’s HOPE and HEALING that he also shares “as of first importance” what he received:
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 10:40 AM
> > Subject: Prayer service today in the Pentagon
> >
> >
> > > As I’ve mentioned, we are to minimize our e-mail traffic. However, I
> > really
> > > want to share this with you.
> > >
> > > I just got back from a very moving prayer service here in the
> > Pentagon.
> > > We’re having them at 10, 11 and at noon today. The message was
> delivered
> > by
> > > US Army General Robert Van Antwerp, assistant chief of staff of the
Army
> > for
> > > installation management, who said he accepted Christ in 1976. He
said
a
> > lot
> > > of people are asking, “What should we do?” in response to these
horrible
> > > acts, and he said, “I’ll tell you the first thing to do — pray!” He
> > cited
> > > James 5:16 — “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth
> > > much.” He said to remember that vengeance is not ours, but the Bible
> > > teaches that vengeance is the Lord’s.
> > >
> > > General Van Antwerp’s office was completely obliterated by the
> crash.
> > >
He
> > > lost his secretary, his administrative assistant and had an executive who is badly burned.
> He
> > > reminded us that God understands the loss we have now — because he
gave
> > his
> > > Son. General Van Antwerp reminded us that God allows us to live in a
> > world
> > > in which there is great evil, and that God is with us always — in
good
> > > times and bad.
> > >
> > >
> > > General Van Antwerp gave a very moving, and comforting, message.
> I’m
> > > very proud to know we have generals like that in our military. And
he’s
> > not
> > > the only one, believe me. We also have a President who loves God and
is
> a
> > > praying man. Pray for all our leaders.
> > >
> > > Dave
(General Robert Van Antwerp graciously permitted reprinting this email, verifying it’s details and their loss adding that “the rest of my office was at an offsite in Crystal City by the grace of God.”)
"And they will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the Lord." Jeremiah 1:19
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