September 11th: The Change That Didn’t Last

[Ben Light] Do you remember where you were on September 11th, 2001? Maybe you remember exactly where you were when the news reached you. But on the other hand, it was 25 years ago. Maybe you weren't even born yet. Regardless, an event took place which changed life in the United States dramatically.

My wife and I were living on the West Coast, 3 hours behind New York. The news of the attacks was the first thing that we heard when we awoke. And I remember the confusion and the uncertainty. We didn't know if there would be more attacks or what would happen next. Watching the second plane hit the South Tower and seeing the towers fall is something that's burned into my memory and I I don't know that I'll ever forget it. One thing was clear. Nothing in the United States would ever be the same again.

In the days that followed, we were blessed to see some of the best of America in the world. Communities came together. People donated blood. They made meals to support first responders. They looked out for one another. Church attendance rose substantially and for a time it looked like maybe, just maybe, the United States might be brought to God through repentance. But that rise in attendance, despite being significant, was short-lived.

Tragedies such as the 9/11 attacks have a way of putting our lives into perspective. We see the senselessness of it all, and we consider those who lost their lives were forced to ask the question, "What if it was me? Have I done all that needs to be done? Are there things left unsaid, relationships that need to be repaired?

There is a relationship which needs to be repaired in the United States. The relationship with our creator. As a nation in the United States, we have increasingly rejected God's laws. We've embraced values contrary to His way of life. Some act in ignorance while others knowingly choose a different way.

In Acts 17, the Apostle Paul had an opportunity to address the philosophers of Athens. In verse 30, Paul said, "Truly, these times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent." And that call to repentance extends to all of mankind, including us today.

The word repentance comes from the Greek word metaninoa, which it conveys a change of mind. Biblically, that change of mind produces a change of direction. We recognize when we've walked away from God. We make the decision to turn around and we begin walking toward him. True repentance changes not only how we think, but how we live.

You know, when life is good, it can be difficult to see our need for repentance. We have plenty. Things are going well. We become comfortable. Sometimes it takes tragedy to snap us out of the routine of our life and to recognize our personal need to change.

Change was a major theme of the ministry of Jesus Christ. In fact, one of His primary messages was the need to repent. In Mark 1:15, Christ declared, "The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel."

God's calling isn't an alle cart menu where we choose the pieces we like and we leave the rest behind. Repentance means fully committing ourselves to God, changing our attitudes and our actions as we become more like Jesus Christ. And repentance then is a lifetime of course corrections as we yield ourselves to God and as each decision brings us closer to Him and to His character and nature.

In the days following September 11th, the people of the United States remembered what was truly important. People turned to God. They showed greater love toward one another. But the change didn't last. God calls those whose mind He is opening to a different kind of change. Not just a temporary response to tragedy, but to true and lasting repentance.

When God calls us, He calls us to change our minds, to change the way we think, to change direction. and to bring our lives into alignment with Him.

Jesus Christ will return. The Kingdom of God is coming. God is not absent, nor is He delaying without purpose. He is giving mankind time to repent. The question is, will we heed that call? Will we allow God to produce true lasting change in our lives through repentance?

Christ's message to America today is the same as it was nearly 2,000 years ago. Repent and believe the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

If you're interested in learning more about true and lasting change, watch our video, Change and Live. Like and subscribe to Beyond Today for more truth from the Bible.