NOTE: Yesterday I began sharing about a burden the Lord placed on my heart to go and pray in NYC at Ground Zero. If you did not read Part I please go back and review that before moving on to Part II.
We left the site of the towers and moved on to St. Paul’s chapel. The chapel was the only building that was left without evidence of the terrorist attack. This chapel has stood on site since before our first President George Washington visited it on his inauguration day. We went into the chapel and found the plaque with the prayer he prayed on it. You could not read it. Fortunately we had brought a copy. And so together we repeated the prayer George Washington prayed for our nation:
Almighty God,
We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy Holy protection; and Thou wilt incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field.
And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the Characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
–George Washington
From there we went to see a tree. A sycamore tree was destroyed at the corner of the cemetery behind St. Paul’s chapel on 9/11. A piece of steel must have flown through the air at least a block to destroy that tree. In place of the sycamore tree a stronger, more highly valued tree was put in its place, a cedar tree. Well-meaning people, it seems, decided that if things are stronger we would somehow be able to stand strong under a future attack. But no, the tree is dying right where it is along with the hedge behind it. No cedar tree is strong enough to protect our nation; there is only one who is able to guard our nation….His name is Jesus. We repented for the sins of the bride of Christ, His church. God forgive us for neglecting our first love, for tolerating immorality and idol worship, for tolerating the things of this world and keeping You out of our schools, our work places and our daily lives. Forgive us for lukewarm churches more concerned with the temperature of the coffee than welcoming the Spirit of the Living God. We invite you to refine us with Your fire, and Your truth.
Dear one, troubles will come into our lives. BUT if God is for us who can stand against us? In all these things we can be more than conquerors (not by some power or arrogance of our own making but) 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 8:31, 37-39)
What are the “giants” in your life? Instead of trying to face them in your own strength or running from them may you, like my friend Anne, take those giants to the Lord. He will defeat them and love you through the challenge by His grace.
Patricia L. Wenzel
WOC Graduate
In devotional above referenced The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn, Front Line, 2011.
Victory Call 