A 911 Miracle and Lesson

In the photo above are Rick Del Rio and Jack Lagatella. The photo was taken on September 20th, 2001 just a few days after the disaster and a few blocks from Ground Zero. Rick Del Rio was the evangelical liaison to Mayor Rudy Guiliani in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist bombings in NYC. I had traveled with Jack, and another pastor friend, Randy Anson, with the hopes of connecting with family members, firemen, police and others who were struggling in the aftermath of that disaster. Ground Zero was in lock down, but because Jack had been acquainted with Rick Del Rio, and the credentials he had from the mayor, we were able to get to the site passing 7 military and police checkpoints. (I never thought in my life I would see military personnel with machine guns on the streets of NY).

After meeting Rick we were getting ready to go to Ground Zero, when we were stopped by a phone call from some other pastors who had come to the area and wanted to go there also. 

While waiting we were told the amazing story of one of the members of Rick's church. She had worked in the world trade center and was up for a promotion. She was the most senior, most qualified, and seemingly the person most likely to get that promotion. She was passed over for a man who was junior to her. As a black woman she got angry and felt color and gender played into the situation. She let God know that she wasn't happy about the situation. A few months later she was offered a better position with better pay than the one she originally had hoped to get. As a consequence of that promotion she was moved to a different location out of the World Trade Center. The man who got the job died in the WTC on 9/11. The lesson was simple, powerful, and poignant: the thing you may be complaining very loudly about, may be God's plan to save your life! That is why the bible says, "in everything give thanks." A lesson we need continual reminders of.

Also on that trip, my wife had arranged to get 100 copies of a CD entitled, "The Father's Love Letter." A compilation of scripture and music written as a love letter from God. (Link: http://www.fathersloveletter.com/) The author had donated them to us for distribution at Ground Zero. We spent the better part of the day at Washington Square passing them out, talking to people and praying for them. I met one man who eagerly accepted one with prayer, he told me his daughter was one of the people in Twin Towers who was among the missing, and he was praying that she would be recovered alive. I will never forget the sadness is his face and eyes, the sadness of a father looking for a missing child. I knew, that for him, there would be no rest until the matter was settled. In the same way, our heavenly Father, roams the streets, alleys, and highways of this world, looking for His missing sons and daughters. God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved.

So I heard of a miracle with a happy ending, and I was painfully reminded of the need to work while it is day for the night comes when no man can work. -Keep your fire burning.