This is not the first great hour of decision our nation has faced about its soul, and we are not the first nation to face it. But historically each generation receives only one opportunity. This is ours, and we dare not miss it.

The Bible reminds us that Jerusalem faced such an hour whenever it was attacked and threatened. Generation after generation struggled to rise above their fear and act like a holy, just people. Some generations succeeded. Some did not. This is what the Psalmist was addressing when he wrote, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change ...." Well, the earth has changed. For us, it changed last Tuesday. Whether or not the earth changes for good depends on where we go for refuge and strength.

If we believe as the Psalmist says, "God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved," then we shall not be moved. "Though the earth change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam," we shall not be moved! Not because we are so strong or invincible, but because we take refuge in the God who is in our midst. When we can see that God is with us, then we know that even when we are pushed beyond the limits, God will be waiting there to lead us into a new risen life together.

"God is in the midst of the city." He is not sitting indifferently above and beyond the horrific destruction we witnessed this week. Perhaps you saw the television interview of the distressed woman who lamented, "Where was God when the planes crashed into those buildings?" I can answer that: in the midst of the city. He was in the offices that collapsed down upon each other as the towers crumbled. He was under the rubble where the dead and wounded lay buried. He was in the planes filled with terrified passengers that called to warn us of what was happening or to say goodbye to their families. God was in the midst of all that pathos. As the cross of Jesus Christ proclaims, God can always be found in the places of suffering. He is there not simply to comfort, but to lead us to resurrected life.

At the end of the fourth century when the city of Rome was being attacked by barbaric tribes from the north, St. Augustine was called upon to provide a theological interpretation of those days. In response he wrote a classic philosophy of history called The City of God. Augustine claimed that from the beginning there have always been only two cities in history: the city of self-love and the city of God's love. One of these cities may be more visible, but they exist in the same place at the same time, and you have to choose to which city you really belong. Since the city of self-love is motivated by greed, it always eventually decays from the inside out. Every empire, every city of earth that prides itself on itself has not survived. But the city of God will always persevere, like the love of God in our midst.

What our society is deciding in the weeks and months ahead is which city we will be. Maybe for too long we have flirted with self-love. Maybe we have deluded ourselves thinking that we could each live for ourselves, or that the nation existed only to serve our individual needs. If this country is to survive, we will have to start looking like the other city. We have to start living for a holy purpose greater than ourselves and demonstrating the love of God to each other.

I can tell you we are off to a good start. Our leaders are weighing carefully the options for how we must proceed. Volunteers have come out of the woodwork, and people are waiting five hours to donate blood. Flags are everywhere, as if we have discovered we belong to a nation. Now it falls to the houses of worship to teach people how to pray again and live out of God's word. And it falls to each of you to make a critical decision about the sacred purposes of your life. A nation is nothing more than the collective souls of its people, and this nation is counting on you to know how to live all your life under God.

I am not only calling you to nationalism or patriotism. I'm calling you to something even greater. I'm echoing the Bible's call to come out from the tombs, embrace the gift of life and follow Jesus as He leads us into a future filled with hope.

O God, when we face an evil day that pushes us way beyond the limits of our experience, may we find refuge in your perfect love that casts out all fear, making room for heroes. Amen.