In Times Like These

October 1, 2001
Michael Evans
  

The horrific suicide hijackings of September 11 have thrown Americans into a whirlwind of emotions:     anger, depression, confusion and  disbelief to name a few.

For a few weeks after September 11 many Americans awoke with spiritual spasms that led them to a house of worship…for a week or two. 

Spasms come and go like indigestion but hearts that are truly anchored in Christ are like 200-year-old California Redwood trees.

Though the winds howl and the hail pounds, they remain essentially unchanged.  Hebrews 6:19 speaks of the believer’s hope in Christ in the following way: “….we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

The hope spoken of here of course is the certain hope of God’s promise of salvation for His children. 

And while we genuinely weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn we do so with a massive and beautiful anchor holding us to this invincible hope!

No matter how many buildings fall to the ground and no matter what other evil terrorists may concoct in this land it does not change the essential nature of the child of God.

Psalm 46 tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea…”

“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”  This is the only good reason we should not despair, but it is an exceedingly great reason!

So what’s a father to say to his sons and daughters in the wake of such an unprecedented national tragedy?

Psalm 78:72 tells us that King David  “…shepherded them (Israel) according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands.”

Whatever else a father does in his home it probably pales in comparison to the importance of dad leading his family with integrity of heart and guiding his wife and children with skillful hands.

Integrity of heart and skillful hands.  I heard once that hypocrisy is like a pin.  It is pointed in one direction but headed in another.

Integrity of heart must be present in order to have skillful hands.   The “double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).

Skillful hands recognize what children’s hearts are and are not capable of absorbing.  Young children should not be allowed to watch jetliners smash into the World Trade Center. 

Skillful hands are sensitive, not blindly withholding all the unpleasantness of life, but carefully imparting information in age and individual heart-appropriate ways.

Good grief! I had a nightmare myself a few days after the attack where I found myself alone in the middle of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan fighting for my  life! As it turned out it was just my wife next to me.

If I, with my sagging imagination, can construct such a vivid and horrifying nightmare just imagine what young children can do!

Skillful hands dictate that we be careful what children see and hear. 

In our own family we found it helpful to discuss in general terms how some very bad men did some very bad things which affected many people.

We spent much more time speaking of the unchanging nature of God, His absolutely flawless sovereign control over all the affairs of men.

We spoke of the promises of Scripture which provide a compass when navigating through troubled seas. 

But perhaps more than anything else I see the importance of building a firm foundation in the lives of my children to prepare them for days like September 11.

The day tragedy strikes is the day many begin practicing armchair theology, flying, or perhaps thinking, by the seat of their pants. 

What is more important for me in my role as father than to lead my children with skill and integrity to dependence upon Jesus Christ? 

What is more important than pointing my children in the right direction, walking with them, talking with them, correcting them, loving them  and imparting to them spiritual knowledge?

What is more important than that my children learn theology and doctrine that their roots might go down deep into the soil of God’s character?

In Psalms 78:5-7 we see that the fathers of the nation of Israel were given a command from God that they “should teach them (the law) to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments…” 

This is amazing!  One of God’s highest priorities is to see that His glory and fame and obedience to His Name get transferred from one generation to the next. 

In this case fathers have the responsibility to teach the statutes of the Lord not just to the present generation, but to the present generation, so that even the children yet to be born might arise and tell them to their children.

Oh! That we could see the bigger picture!  Rather than being frustrated to the point of exasperation by a character flaw in our children, we ought to stand atop Mount Everest and see (even while gasping for air) that the prayer and effort and tears that we pour into our children now will redound to the honor and praise of God for generations to come!

My computer just underlined the entire last paragraph with the message “Long sentence. No suggestions.” How rude.

It may be a long sentence but in it is the key to endurance.  If we keep our eyes only on what is seen we will despair.

We must capture a vision for this generation and for generations to come.  Then, as certain as the sun will rise tomorrow morning we will see both the fruit of our labors, and, more importantly, the faithfulness of God.

Alexis de Tocqueville was a nineteenth century political scientist and historian best-known for "Democracy in America," 4 vol. (1835-40) which was an analysis of the political and social system of the United States in the early 19th century. 

After visiting America in 1831, he said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there.”

“I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there.”

“I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there.

Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.”

“America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!”

“Pulpits flaming with righteousness…” What a great picture this is to behold!  May we see those days once again!  

In addition, may we see families flaming with righteousness with fathers carrying the torch through beautiful fall weather as well as through wind, rain, snow, tornadoes, and national tragedies.

Like the Men of Issachar in Chronicles we fathers must also “know the times and know what we should do.”  May the Lord Himself give us both the integrity of heart and skillful hands as we shepherd those under our care.