Were You There, God?

Were You there, God? Were You there in 2001 when two towers came crashing down and innocent people perished?

Were You there five months later when my eldest ran his car into a tree and died?

Yeah, I know. You were there.

I’ve not doubted Your presence but wrestled with Your plan.

And in anticipation of the 9/11 anniversary, my restlessness rears its ugly head again, and I wake in the night, praying it’s all a horrible nightmare.

And in anticipation of the 2/23 anniversary, I wake, gasping for breath in the night, crying out, pleading to hold my son again.

Neither event took You by surprise.

But sadly, these aren’t nightmares. And deep in my bones, I know it—neither of those horrific events took You by surprise.

What’s happening in our world now has not caught You off guard either.

We grieve, and You grieve with us.

I felt like I was drowning, and You entered the cold, dark, turbulent sea with me.

You remain there with me, keeping me afloat.

You remain with us.

Father,

A passion bore in us deeply when we rallied together, loved one another, and pledged to be one nation under God. Ignite it again.  

Ignite the passion in every one of us to know You intimately.

Grant that we will become more like Jesus every day because we’re falling more in love with Jesus every day.

Amen.