While on an errand in town today I noticed a number of American flags up and immediately wondered what the deal was. It took me about half minute until I finally realized it was September 11. Twenty-two years ago, and I had forgotten. The flags were there to remind us not to forget. I’m sure they didn’t forget what day it was in New York.
In his excellent essay on life in New York City, Colson Whitehead creates the possibility of 8 million personal New Yorks — a different view of the city for every person who lives there. “Your New York is not my New York… you have your own personal skyline.”
For Whitehead, each person’s “New York” is the sum total of their regular experiences there. For some the twin towers “still stand because we saw them, moved in and out of their long shadows, were lucky enough to know them for a time.” But young New Yorkers will have no such memory.
Something about this reality rings true for people’s spiritual experiences in Christ. No two people’s experience will be the same. Nor can you judge one by another. Comparison is out. Personal experience is unique to each one, and it is important for us to allow for those differences. The next generation’s New York will have a different skyline, but it will be no less New York.
And so, just like the gospel, there is something about New York that transcends the experiences of its citizens. “Maybe we become New Yorkers,” he concludes, “the day we realize that New York will go on without us.”
Faith is much bigger than our experience of it. It is not just what we experience of God that validates faith; it is the fact that God is here and validates Himself, without us. He will go on. His kingdom is forever.
And it’s to this that we owe the magic. That God can and will do His will without us but He includes us and even wants to work through us to accomplish it. He doesn’t need us, but He wants us. If God can get His will done without us, what good is that to him? He wants partners… co-workers. He wants participation. Don’t you want to be a part of something bigger than you — something that will go on when you’re gone?
I just went and put our flag out. There are only a few hours left in the day, but I wanted to remember anyway, if only for me.
John Fischer The Catch 
“…this story can’t get lost because the world is changing fast; and I don’t want this to be something that’s [only] in a history book, that a page is turned, and we’re forgotten.”
Following Jesus is special to each of us in our own way and so true never forget what happened on that day so long ago. I have always been glad that God wants each of us to be a part of his plan for eternal life. So true he can do it himself without any of us but, always remember how much he loves us all and we should always be grateful for that.
One of my co-workers stunned us recently by admitting she was born after 9/11. I was also reminded of an old silent movie called “The Crowd”, where there was a shot of NYC as it was in 1919 or 1920, followed by a title card that read, “New York: home of 3 million people, who all believe that the city cannot go on without them.”
But to your point, part of the mystery of God is that each of us has an experience with Him that is ours, and ours alone. The best witness we can give to others about Jesus is our own story, what we have lived through and the role Jesus has played in it. If we focus on that, and remain, as Peter writes, “diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless,” we’ll be doing our job of spreading the Gospel.
Bob, the video you posted is not available in Canada. Could you provide the name of it so I can find it on you tube.?
How are you and Paula doing my Friend?
Hi Peter,
I’ve sent the links to your e-mail.
Shalom, Peace…
🙂