I sit in tears as I listen to the bell ring for a moment of silence in honor of Flight 175 that ran into the second World Trade Center tower.
A daughter…
A sister…
A son…
A husband…
A wife…
A mother…
A father…
all read names of loved ones lost in an act of hatred, anger, evil and terror.
I remember where I was on that morning 13 years ago and I remember the fear that ran through my soul as I watched the events unfold on the screen before me.
I worked as a critical care nurse and was in the middle of a procedure to help save the life of the patient laying before me.
My heart cried out for each mom, dad, son, daughter, and friend whose life was lost.
In the moment they died did they meet a loving savior with arms wide open ready to welcome them for all eternity or did they pass into an eternity of the darkness of hell?
When faced with life and death each day it is very easy to remember our lives are short and can be taken away at any moment. But God has moved me out of critical care nursing to stay home and raise my children and now that I am no longer faced with the reality of death each day I forget how short life is.
I quickly become focused on the immediate tasks before me – laundry, cleaning, cooking, getting the kids to school on time, homework, and after-school activities. I have my comfort zone and as long as I am in my comfort zone life is good. When someone messes with my comfort zone I become unhappy. I fuss. I argue. I complain.
It is on a day like today when I am reminded LIFE IS NOT ABOUT ME and sweet sisters LIFE ISN’T ABOUT YOU EITHER. LIFE IS ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE SAVING GRACE OF GOD.
My comfort zone, your comfort zone our comfort zones are not what’s important. Allowing God to move us out of our comfort zones to share His Love and His Grace is what’s important.
You and I may not work in critical care but each and everyday we are faced with life and death. There are people around us who are lost. They don’t know the Saving Grace of God and we have the opportunity to share God’s love with them.
As I listen to the names read at the 9/11 Ceremony my prayer is that God will move me out of my comfort zone to reach the lost for Him. I pray that as I go about my day-to-day activities I will allow Him to change my to-do list so that I can reach the lost for Him.
There is a mother, daughter, father, son, and friend who need to be saved today. What will you do today to move out of your comfort zone to save a life for Christ today?
Lord help us to remember life isn’t about our comfort zones but life is about reaching the lost all around us. Help us see where you are at work around us and join you in that work. And Lord when we become overwhelmed and frustrated with an interrupted to-do list help us to Stop, Breathe & Pray for your strength to move us out of our comfort zones. In Your Name I Pray, Amen.
In His Calm,
