The events of this past week have been indelibly engraved in the minds and hearts of people around the world. Through the marvels of modern media and technology we have seen over and over again the horrendous images of death and destruction. Not only has the financial district of New York been reduced to rubble, the very heart of Western world has been severely wounded.

The standing caption on television coverage from the USA has been "America at War". But this is a war unlike any other that America has ever experienced. The enemy has brutally and ruthlessly destroyed thousands of ordinary citizens without any warning. But the identity and motive of the enemy is hard to identify. With very little weaponry, and only a handful of totally committed fanatics, the enemy has wreaked enormous destruction, and almost paralysed the greatest nation on earth.

Many informed, and uninformed words have already been written about this, and I am sure there will be more to come. However, as a number of folk have been asking questions about the Christian perspective on what has hapened, and the appropriate Christian response, I will endeavour to address these issues.

Our first response should be compassion for the thousands of families who have been left bereaved or wondering. The greatest burden is the agony of uncertainty for those who do not know the fate of their loved one, and hope against hope that some miracle might have seen them escape. By the time you read this, the chances of finding anyone alive in the wreckage will virtually have gone. But the intense heat that was generated may mean that some people were simply vaporised, and no trace will ever be found. May God grant His very special comfort to their families.

Secondly, we should pray. Unlike some Christian groups we do not believe there is any value in praying for those who have already died. They are either with the Lord or in torment of hell. But we do pray for those who are injured, some critically. We pray God's comfort for the many who are bereaved. We pray strength for the many who are involved in the enormous task of clearing the debris and searching for the remains of what were once ordinary people like you and I. And we pray for the President and the Government that they will be guided aright in the way that they respond to this tragedy.

Our third response should be anger! Much human anger that arises out of our sinful self-centeredness, is wrong. But there is a righteous anger that is godly. Such anger is directed against the evil that has been allowed to flourish in our world. It is anger against the systems that would legitamise terrorism and the slaughter of ordinary civilians.

Such anger is a strong motivational force to move us to action when otherwise we might be complacent or passive. But we need to be careful that it is directed at the right target. It should move us to seek justice, not simply vengeance. It should focus on systems, rather than people. And it should never be levelled at other somply because they are different from us as in race, custom or religion. Moreover, it should be equally focussed on problems in our own system that may have been contributing factors.

The fourth response should be one of reflection. Jesus said that such disasters are reminders to us of our need to be always in a right relationship with God through repentance for our sin and faith in Jesus for our salvation. They remind us of the fact of our mortality and the uncertainty of life.

Furthermore, we need to reflect on what God is saying to us through what He has allowed to happen. There have been a number of prophetic warnings about God's judgement on the godless capitalism of New York. A word that was given only a week beforehand said that "the markets of self-adulation and self-exultation are about to be shattered...What is to come is about to come crashing through in a moment of time...the tables of the money changers will be turned to powder." There is much in the structures of Western capitalism that is displeasing to God. We need to take note and repent lest worse disaster fall.

The fifth response should be one of confidence. God wants us to have such a confidence in our relationship with Him, such an assurance of the reality of Jesus' saving work, that we need have no fear should some disaster suddenly take our life. If you do not know for certain that, if you were to die today you would go to be with Jesus, then we need to talk! You can be certain, and God wants you to be certain. We do not have to continue in captivity to the fear of death, which is the greatest weapon that terrorists wield.

Finally, we need to be alert. Jesus gave us many warnings that such disasters would precede and herald his return. They are reminders to us that the essence of life is not to be found in the things of this world. And they encourage us to watch and pray in readiness for the greater things to come. "To this end, stay alert."

John Davies
16 September 2001