It is hard to believe that the 9/11 terrorist attack was 10 years ago.  I’ll bet you can remember where you were that morning.  Also, I’ll bet you remember the feelings of bewilderment and fear that sweep our country and the flood of patriotism and bravery that followed.  It was a Tuesday morning; I know that because I was blessed to be able to go to the Monday Night Football game in Denver.  It was the 1st game ever played at our new Mile High Stadium.  I remember waking up Tuesday morning with a feeling of euphoria from the night before and because it was my 1st day of school at Denver Seminary.  While I was getting dressed for Convocation and watching TV, I saw the planes fly into the buildings and when they collapsed, I knew our lives had changed forever.  Prayer was the order of the day.  Janie and I went to Denver Seminary and joined in prayer with hundreds of students and faculty.  Our hearts broke for the lost, for their families and for our country that day.  Over the next month people came to me, knowing that I was a “religious guy” as they put it, and asked if this was the beginning of the end of the world and if these events were in the Bible.  I told them first of all I was not a “religious guy” and that I was not for religion, but that I was all about a personal relationship with the Lord.  I told them that I had read the Bible from Genesis to Maps and that nowhere did it predict these events and I did not think it was the end of the world.  Church attendance spiked as America went in search of answers.

Today we watch the news reports from around the world and realize that the threat is still very real and yet we feel safe here in the USA because of the efforts of those whose job it is to watch over us.  We know them by their initials: FBI, CIA, NSA, ATF, DHS, ICE, DOD, TSA, ETC.  (I also found the initials GOA, which stands for Government Accountability Office and I couldn’t help but wonder, based on our economy, what they do and who do they report to?)  Anyway, we are all grateful for those who keep us safe and in addition to the initials listed above, we thank the men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guards, Coast Guard, Police Departments, Fire Departments, and their families for their sacrifice for this great country of ours.  We pray God’s Blessing and Protection for all of them.  And when we speak of those who watch over us, let us not forget the most important initials of all: GOD.  Without His Blessings and Grace none of us would be here.

This week in our 6:30 Sunday Night Service we will talk about Freedom, Fear, and Faith and how it relates to our Masonic family.  And we will pay tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11 and to those who over the last 10 years have defended our country and to all their Families.  The Mayor of New York City has said that there will be no prayer given at the ceremony at Ground Zero on Sunday.  I don’t need to tell you what I think of that.  I can’t think of anything our country needs more.  In 2 Chronicles  7:14 NIV God said “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   The value of prayer is one of the first lessons taught to a Mason and spreading the cement of Brotherly Love is another.  By Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family; the high and low, the rich and poor; we are all created by God and we live on the same planet and we need to let Brotherly Love prevail and every moral and social virtue cement us. That means we are to let our light shine as a beacon of hope to a world that desperately needs it.  Matthew 5:14-16 NIV it says: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  I believe it is time to let our light shine.

If you are in Denver come to the Robert Russell Eastern Star Chapel this Sunday at 6:30 pm and we will give you a light to shine on your Freedom, Fear and your Faith.  Also mark your calendar for September 25, 2011 at 6:30 pm.  We are having a concert by the world renowned piano player and song writer Dr. Jerry Nelson.  He spent the last year touring in Africa and he will make the keyboard come alive.  Don’t miss it.

I pray God will bless you and yours,