NO PRAYER

As I drove to work this morning, I listened to K-Love as always - singing
along and praising the Lord.  At the appointed time, the news came on. I
admit I was "hearing", not necessarily "listening", until the newscaster began
sharing about the upcoming 9-11 memorial service to be held in NYC.
She shared that this year, there will be no prayer at the service. Let me
repeat that...NO PRAYER.  Suddenly, my ears perked up and I was
listening.  They do not want to offend any of the participating clergy...so
NO PRAYER this year.  There will be spiritual readings (whatever that
means) but NO PRAYER.

I remember well 9-11.  Have you seen the newspaper ads that ask,
"Where were you on 9-11?"  I'm sure you, like me, can recite exactly
where you were and every detail of that day.  9-11 is what we call a
"life-changing" event.  Everything in our world changed that day.

The Sunday following 9-11, there were strangers in our service at church.
There were scared folks...people wanting us to baptize their babies (we don't
do this by the way)...people seeking comfort, peace, and security.  It is not
strange that they turned to the church...that as a nation we cried out to GOD! 
For a few weeks, maybe months people looked to God.

Another familiar statement you hear and read is, "NEVER FORGET".  This
morning I realized that as a nation, we have forgotten.  We have forgotten
Who our Source is...we have forgotten only God can give us true peace and
security.  We have forgotten how we cried out to Him in our national distress.
We have forgotten the lesson of 9-11.

We are more concerned with offending men, than with offending the God of
the Universe - our Creator - the "one with whom we have to do."  My heart
hurts and is so heavy with this realization.  God may have allowed 9-11 as our
wake-up call...to bring our nation back to Him...our last chance.

We have forgotten.  NO PRAYER.  Sad...sad.