Titus 3:5
He saved us because
of his mercy,
and not because
of any good things
that we have done.
God washed us by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
He gave us new birth
and a fresh beginning.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
“That
which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may
actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this
place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we
endlessly crave.” – Ann Voskamp ~ One Thousand Gifts*
Today,
we remember the horror and heartache of a tragic event that occurred
thirteen years ago. It’s probably safe to say that all of our lives were
altered forever in some way because of what happened in New York,
Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC, during those early morning hours of
September 11, 2001. Through a series of events that can only be
explained as a “God thing,” I became friends with a woman in Massapequa,
New York, whose husband, Keith Glascoe, perished that day while serving
as a firefighter for Ladder Co. 21 of the Fire Department New York
(FDNY). Veronica Glascoe Squef was the mother of two boys, 2-year-old
Nolan and 1-year-old Owen. Baby Keith was, as she puts it, “a little
peanut in my belly.” He would enter this world in April 2002.
If
you are old enough to remember “9-11”, you recall how incredibly
“dirty” everything was. Not only were lives lost...they were buried
beneath tons of dust and rubble. The bodies of many – including Keith
Glascoe - were never recovered. Rescue crews dug for days...cleanup
teams worked for months and years...and we all wondered if the area was
ever going to be “presentable” again. Would we ever “see through the
mess of this place” to heart-aching beauty beyond? Would we ever find
God in this tragedy? Would He be able to truly restore us and
decontaminate our hearts from this event?
Last week, Veronica
posted a photo of her boys on their first day back to school...Nolan now
a high school junior; Owen beginning high school as a freshman; and
Keith starting to middle school. All three boys are healthy, thriving,
and always smiling. Veronica posted a tribute to Keith on her Facebook
wall that said in part...” We love you, we miss you, we think of you
every day, and we will never forget.”
It is important that we
remember what happened...that we are vulnerable... and yes, that bad
things can – and will – happen. But more importantly, we must focus on
the incredible grace, mercy and cleansing power of God Almighty. We
must recognize His presence in the form of the Holy Spirit...guiding us
and “cleaning up the mess” so that we can see the beauty beyond –
because it does exist!
God did not leave us on September 11,
2001...He has not left us today. Whatever you are facing...wherever you
are “sifting through rubble and debris” and wondering if your life will
ever be neat and tidy again...know that God is with you. He is doing the
heavy lifting...the Holy Spirit can mend your broken heart and
strengthen you for the days to come...and the beauty of a brighter day
lies just beyond the “window” of your present struggle. Veronica Squef
and countless others understand the concept of “heart-aching beauty
beyond”. They face it every day in the smiles of children left
behind...of putting one foot in front of the other and rebuilding their
lives – different, but filled with potential.
What God does – and
has done – for those who suffer so much as a result of the events of
9-11, He will surely do for each of us. His desire is to wash away
whatever keeps us from a deep, abiding relationship with Him and a
continual communion with the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t matter who you
are...where you are...what you have – or don’t...or what you have or
haven’t done...God wants to do this for you. You may not realize it, but
God’s presence and grace may truly be “the very thing that you
endlessly crave.” Are you ready to find out? Will this be the day that
you turn to Him and begin to trust in His cleansing power? Don’t you
think it should?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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