Remember

Remember. In every quadrant of American society, even internationally, we are called to remember the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks and the heroism that those attacks ignited. Remembering is good and proper. “Give honor to whom honor is due” (Rom. 13:7).

The act of remembering, however, is not a purely mental exercise. Merely mentally regurgitating a fact is, in fact, the opposite of remembering. Thinking, Oh right, today is 9-11 but then carrying on as normal, functionally describes the act of forgetting more than remembering! Remembering elicits an appropriate change based on the event or truth remembered. Remembering therefore, in its truest form, is active, overt, and external.

Americans of a certain age can remember where they were when news reached them of the terror attacks on 9/11/2001. I left a meeting early to go home and hug my wife as we watched the second tower crumble. Many Americans went to donate blood. Some pastors opened their churches for extra prayer meetings with larger-than-usual crowds. Certain young men and women enlisted in the military on 9/11 because of 9/11.

In the Bible, when God remembered, he didn’t just recall a fact, he acted. He intervened; he restored. “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided” (Gen. 8:1). “Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb” (Gen. 30:22). Joseph asked the cupbearer, who was imprisoned with him, “Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house … yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him” (Gen. 40:14, 23). Remembering is active, or it is not remembering.

The last “remember” of Jesus’ earthly ministry came from the second thief’s cross. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). To this, Jesus did more than mentally note the conversation, he actively saved the soul. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). The last “remember” for Paul came in prison, chained but active! “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel … therefore, I endure everything” (2 Tim. 2:8,10).

So then, yes, remember 9/11, but do so knowing that remembering involves action.