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| Messiah, Manhattan & 'The Pile' | |
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| Cary* , a Jewish believer I discipled long ago, was working as a chaplain in NYC to help counsel the many hurting people recovering from the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. (It's now referred to as “The Pile.”) When his brother and sister-in-law picked me up at LaGuardia Airport, Cary offered to take me to The Pile, which I felt I should see if I was going to minister effectively in NYC. In some small way I wanted to experience what my fellow New Yorkers had gone through so I might identify, and in some small way comfort them in the love of Yeshua. | |
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At The Pile We finally arrived. After passing through the police barricades, and further police (and army) lines posted there to keep the many sightseers from getting within two blocks of the site, it was stunning to see. Some buildings, still standing, barely, had giant sections of the twin towers sticking in them, like a knife stabbed into the heart. The workers looked like ants on this mountain of wreckage; even the bulldozers seemed toy-like compared to the size of the rubble that once was the Twin Towers. |
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| As we spoke to police, soldiers, and volunteers, the strain and stress were evidently taking their toll. The chaplains are allowed no more than a week of duty there because they too become emotionally drained. | |
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Cary said that he often couldn’t keep from crying, as he did while we talked and prayed. With a sense of great pain I spoke with those working in that almost sacred area. While looking at the pile and softly praying for the workers, a young woman named Teresa* came up to speak with us. She had come to the city to try and help others, but was too emotionally devastated by the enormity of the tragedy, both in real estate and in real lives. |
| I told her about the Lord's love, which is greater than the hate of men, and His all-sufficient grace for her life. Yes, our Savior is greater than even the horror of The Pile! We prayed together, asking the Lord to help her help others while trusting in His grace for her own life as well. It was late when I finally fell into bed, still praying for Yeshua to bring His healing and comfort upon this hurting city. | |
| The next day, I preached in NYC with a new enthusiasm and power. To the people at Manhattan Bible Church, I spoke of a grace greater than all damage that the terrorists could throw at their city. Proclaiming “God's light in the Darkness” (Isa. 9:1-7), I declared that it was ‘for such a time as this’ that God has His redeemed people in this city, and that the whole world is watching NYC to see if there truly is light in the darkness. A number responded to the invitation, some to be delivered from the domain of darkness, and many more yielding themselves to be instruments of God's grace in NYC. At Calvary Baptist in Midtown we held an afternoon Sukkot outreach, where believers brought Jewish friends and family to hear how this feast has relevance in these difficult days. |
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| The congregation had actually built a Sukkah (a fragile 3-sided booth) and I pointed out how the Scriptures told us that this booth would be the yearly reminder of the testimony of God's grace, security and protection for Israel as He brought us through the wilderness (Lev. 23:42,43).
How fragile and vulnerable we appeared to the nations around us. But the Lord’s promises and grace would prove to be our sufficiency, then and now! Our Messiah also seemed easily crucified and defeated, but in His resurrection we have the power of life for any ‘wilderness experience’! Can you imagine how thrilled I was to find out later that the believers said their Jewish friends and family found the meeting interesting and would be open to hearing more about Yeshua the Savior! That evening as I taught on “Why we MUST pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6); I showed from the Scriptures the redemptive program of God centered on Jerusalem. The only way to have peace in this world is through the Prince of Peace, Yeshua our Messiah! Many responded, desiring to receive peace with God personally, that they might now pray for Jerusalem's peace, and the worldwide work of redemption. |
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When they stood, the World Trade Center towers cast a great shadow over city blocks, but now, The Pile casts a shadow that covers the entire city, our country, reaching even hearts in Israel and around the world. But there is One Who is greater still, for Messiah Yeshua is The Resurrection and The Life. |
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Through Him we are more than conquerors: His grace is sufficient for all. Even as we're planning our next opportunity minister in NYC, please pray for the believers in this grieving and courageous city to be God’s instruments of grace and comfort. |
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