Today I felt led to share this poignant song by Alan Jackson. It is so hard to believe that it has been 13 years since the horrific attack on the Twin Towers and the almost 3,000 who died on 9/11/01. Mr. Jackson’s song brings us back to what will always be the greatest thing we can do—love.
(Please be aware that the video includes many photos of the tragedy that happened at the Twin Towers.)
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Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in L.A.
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry
Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don’t know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below
Did you burst out in pride
For the red, white, and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to Heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters
I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN but I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you’re a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that Bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you’re watching
And turn on “I Love Lucy” reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love
I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN but I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love
I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN but I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love
The greatest is love
The greatest is love
But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
There is no doubt that we have been given the standard to love throughout the entire New Testament. From Jesus’ words to His disciples, to Paul and Timothy’s encouragement to the believers of the 1st Century Church, to the standard that John, the beloved Apostle, laid out in the epistles he wrote…all point directly to the greatest thing we have to do. LOVE.
Jesus said quite a bit to His disciples about love. Listen…
“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and most important command.
The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:36-39
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34 and 35
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:43-45
Shortly before Jesus’ trial and persecution and His death, the disciples were asking Him about His return. Amongst other warnings, He admonished them about the great importance of love.
“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
Matthew 24:8-14
All of Jesus’ disciples died before He was sent by His Father to return to the earth and gather the faithful. So these words must be taken seriously by those of us who still remain. We don’t know WHEN He is coming…but we DO know that He IS coming! And so these warnings should be heeded to.
The attacks of those who hate God against the Christians in the world have definitely increased. Our military continues to fight heated battles in Afghanistan (and also in other regions of the world). Christians in many countries are arrested, tortured, and some killed for their faith in God and Jesus Christ. Even here within the borders of our own country, hatred increases it seems every day. We must not be counted among those whose ‘love will grow cold.’ There is great hope, too! Remember, Jesus said, ‘…MOST people’s love will grow cold.’ (Not ALL people’s.) Love will survive and can even thrive where we (you and me!) choose to love and not hate. It will be hard…it IS hard! It will seem to be an up-hill battle, and it IS. But we have the Holy Spirit within us to lead and guide and help us! May God give us grace every day to choose love.
Even in the days of the 1st Century Church, Paul and Timothy and John encouraged the believers to choose love.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:7-12
But our living love, practicing love, showing love is now of utmost importance, more important than having any of the other virtues or gifts, because love is the greatest (hey, I didn’t say it!). Oh, yes, we must have faith and hope…and live our lives with those virtues. But, since ‘the greatest is love’ we must remember…
LOVE is
patient and kind
does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited
does not act improperly
is not selfish, is not provoked
keeps no record of wrongs
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth
bears all things
believes all things
hopes all things
endures all things
never ends
There are so very many ways for us to show love to those around us. To some, it is easy and natural…but to others it takes effort and work (sometimes it seems we need supernatural help!). But we can. And we can grow in our ability to love others. Paul wrote,
I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.
Philippians 1:9
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But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
