Tragedy teaches us that God is near in times of trouble! "NOW AS HE DREW NEAR, HE SAW THE CITY AND WEPT OVER IT." LUKE 19:41 Tragedy teaches us to focus on what is important! "AND HE SAID TO THEM, "TAKE HEED AND BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS, FOR ONE'S LIFE DOSE NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS HE POSSESSES."  LUKE 12:15-21 What do you think the people on these flights were thinking about when they learned of what was about to happen to them? How much the stock market will grow? What their houses consisted of? What their pay raise would be in their future? NO WAY! They were thinking of the most important things!!! Their loved ones! Calling home and letting them know they loved them! A son, calling his mother and wife..... A wife calling her husband........ Praying to Jesus for help and comfort...... At this point in life, they were thinking of "The most important" things! What else does Tragedy help us to realize? That Jesus "IS" Coming Soon!!! "AND BECAUSE LAWLESSNESS WILL ABOUND, THE LOVE OF MANY WILL GROW COLD." MATTHEW 24:12 These things will come more and more at the closeness of Jesus' return! And when we hear people saying,  "I have heard this for a hundred years"... Just ask them if they think "they" have a hundred years left? Time is running out.... We must be right with God and live each day as our last! Tragedy also makes us look to a better place...... "AND GOD WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH, NOR SORROW, NOR CRYING.  THERE SHALL BE NO MORE PAIN, FOR THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY." REVELATION 21:4 How God hurts when He sees what is happening....But nothing or no one can take us from Him! "YET IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. FOR I AM PERSUADED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS NOR PRINCIPALITIES NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATED THING, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD." ROMANS 8:37, 38, 39 How many of us have heard that question, "Where was your GOD when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was attacked?"   Well, I know where my GOD   was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy!     He was trying to discourage anyone from taking these flights. Those four   flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard.     He was on four commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a love one on   one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the   background. On one of the flights, He was giving strength to passengers to   try to overtake the hijackers.     He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade   Center.  After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit.   Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or had traffic delays?     He was holding up two 110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could   get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't topple when the   jets impacted.  And when they did fall, they fell inward.   GOD didn't allow them to topple over, as many more lives would have been lost. God was in the strength of the many fire-fighters that gave their lives to help another human being.... God was in the buildings calming and holding His children.... God was in the planes, comforting.... God was in a voice or a hug of a person who was consoling another.... God was saying: "FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, YES, I WILL HELP YOU, I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHT HAND." ISAIAH 41:10 Sometimes we don't understand why things have to happen the way they do... But we CAN know that God loves us so much... And that He is with us through ALL bad times!! We must trust Him..... And allow Him to work in our lives. And to know that we have a better life and good WILL overcome evil! God's love WILL be standing when everything else around us falls!! We CAN depend on God!!! Our Heavenly Father.... We thank you for being with us "in" and "through" this mess of broken hearts and shattered dreams. We thank you Lord for comforting your children that were on the planes and in the buildings.... And the survivors of the many perishing! Give us your strength Lord.... For it is much needed.... For we can not go on without you! Live in our lives....change us Lord.... And seek out and live in the hearts of those who have allowed satan to use them in this act.  God we know that you love the sinner, but you hate the sin! One day soon Lord, we know that you will be returning..... Help us to be ready! And help us to focus on the things of heaven and not of this world!! These things we ask Father.... in Jesus' name.... Amen!