World at War. David T. Maddox
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time came for the service to begin as the waiting audience wondered at what was about to happen. In the invisible, there was great rejoicing among the forces of light as the music of the collective prayers was lifted to Heaven. The Father listened intently, and His response to each prayer was immediate as he dispatched what each of the praying people needed. He answered whether they had known to ask for it or not and whether their prayer had been out loud or simply in their hearts. The two remaining archangels, Michael and Gabriel, were dispatched to confront the forces of darkness — which always sought to hinder and delay the answers to prayers — for on that day, in that place and at that time, no delays would be tolerated. A peace fell upon those assembled in prayer. They were experiencing the joy of the Lord. The light within burned brightly in every committed heart.
The delay was almost thirty minutes, and the waiting crowd was shocked as the president and Janet came in with the families, led by Tom Campy being pushed in his wheelchair by Sally Johnson. The people rose to their feet as strings of loud curses were heard in the White House press room as the Press Corp saw on TV that the president was in Williams for the service. Once again, ITN had streamed the broadcast on its website for the world to see, but this time they had also made it available on the Together We Pray website at the request of Pastor Scribes. The Senate committee hearings in Washington were preempted, and their television audience was transferred electronically to the Williams service, even as Pastor Scribes stepped to the podium to pray.
“Lord,” he began, “we come before you this day to ask that Your hand of healing rest on the injured, Your presence be among the grieving and for You to change our hearts that we might forgive even as You forgave those who crucified You.15 Give us joy as we celebrate the lives of those who are now home with You. Be honored in all that we do this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
The large screen at the front of the auditorium was filled with a compilation of home videos and still photographs interspersed with tributes to those killed and injured in the attacks. At Pastor Scribes’ request, they also included tributes for soldiers killed anywhere in service around the world that week. Behind the visual presentation was music with a message including Ray Boltz’s moving song, “Thank You for Giving to the Lord.” Soon there was not a dry eye in the building, and few among those watching as people came to realize the tragedy of the lives cut short by unbridled hate.
There were solos and old-time congressional singing of familiar songs including, “In the Garden,” “It Is Well with My Soul,” and “Amazing Grace.” It was like a family sing-along with words that comforted and refreshed the soul. “What a contrast,” thought Paul Phillips as he held Samantha’s hand, remembering the funeral for her dad that had started his journey. “If the Curtain opened now, I am sure I would not see so many of those dark things.”
What Paul thought was absolutely true, for that service was under God’s protection. The forces of darkness had abandoned the fight in the building and now sought to draw the television audience away.
After Pastor Scribes completed his message, which once again focused on forgiveness, the president stood and walked to the podium.
“I stand before you today not as the president of the United States, but as a grieving friend who has been privileged to spend the past several hours with these precious hurting people,” he said, opening his hands to indicate the families and relatives present before him. “I wish all Americans could have joined with Janet and me to hear their stories and share their tears. I am thankful for the beautiful video we were able to watch together; in a small way, it painted a picture of the loss they have suffered individually and the loss we have suffered together as a nation. These were not people who can be easily replaced, for they were men and women of character, faithful to their spouses and children and their faith in the Creator and giver of all life. They truly represent the foundation upon which this nation was built, and the only hope it has for the future.
“We live in perilous times, as this morning again evidences. Hateful people seek only to kill, steal, and destroy all that we hold dear. These are times which require courage and sacrifice, character, and forgiveness; the very best there is in people. It is what we expect from those who are men and women of faith. It is what has been found in this city, and in this place.
“We are gathered today among heroes. Two of these heroes stood and fought. One of them is a pastor who literally ran to the terrorists and offered his life, diverting the attention of the terrorist long enough for Officer Sally Johnson to find the gun which had been lost. Tom Campy fell to the ground from the wounds he suffered while defending the innocents whose only ‘crime’ was a desire to attend a church service. The horror of the possible mass destruction was eliminated, and God was gracious, but we have before us the remnants of the pain, hurt and death launched here only a week ago.
“My friends watching across America and around the world, there are lessons here in Williams we need to learn quickly. Had you been with me in our time with the families and friends of those needlessly and indiscriminately struck down by the killers, you would have seen the difference between a religion of hate where self-appointed judges carry out what they perceive to be the wrath of their god without mercy, and the God of these suffering men and women of faith who motivates them with love to reach out to share their faith and leave judgment and wrath in the hands of God. There were many words of anguish and many questions, but there was no hate or desire to strike back apart from self-defense or preventing future attacks.
“Some in America — and around the world — seek to equate passion for the Christian God with the passionate religious hate which motivated the killers. That thought would never enter the mind of one who walked with those who are suffering and grieving here in Williams. Their passion is expressed by reaching out even as Jesus did when He walked the earth and gave Himself up for all who would put down their wants and desires to serve Him. They will tell you of their faith and pray that you become a believer, but no one fears that they will kill you if you choose not to believe or decide to believe something different. I am thankful to be one of them. And just like them, I have made my choice to be on God’s side. Tomorrow I will join with fellow brothers and sisters to stand before God in repentance for the things we have done and are doing in this nation that offends Him, and things we have not done that we know we should have. Many will gather in this place, and I hope you will find a place or make your home a place for others to gather and make their choice.
“As we grieve, we must not lose hope, for the God of love is also the God of the impossible. He is the only one who can change hearts and turn a soul dominated by hate and evil into one filled with love and light. Yes, we must forgive, even as Pastor Scribes just said, and we must fight to defend ourselves against those who seek to kill us. We must pray for changed hearts; both our own and those who have chosen to be our enemies.
“Can God change a heart filled with hate and evil into a heart of compassion?” He paused to let the question sink in as he spread the copy of Susan Stafford’s note before him.
“I want to read a portion of something to you which is indisputable proof that we must not respond in hate but in prayer that a people of hate be changed, for they can be changed. Listen carefully,” and he began to read.
If you have found this note, hopefully, by God’s grace I am dead and died better than I lived. My life was a waste. I was evil and cruel beyond human imagination, cold and uncaring until my eyes were opened to the truth of what I had become and I screamed in horror at myself.
I WAS the one you called the Williams’ shooter.
There were audible gasps from the crowd as they realized what the president had just read. He continued slowly and deliberately so that every word would be heard and understood.
I am solely responsible for all the hurt, injury and death, and am without excuse. I deserve the cruelest punishment and death ever devised for what I did, and I know what that is. It is crucifixion. I deserve to die that way.
I cannot change what I did or I would. I am so sorry now for the pain and anguish I have caused. I am unworthy of anyone’s forgiveness, so I will not even ask.
“This is only a portion of a note that was taken from the body of Susan Stafford