A Strong Tower
My dear family in Jesus,
Ten years after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, construction continues at the site where more than 2,600 people lost their lives in the worst strike on American soil in the nation’s history.
In November 2001, as Americans across the country continued to mourn the many lives lost, then New York Governor George Pataki began the process of renewal with the establishment of a board to oversee the reconstruction of buildings lost at the World Trade Center site in Manhattan. Chief among them was 1 World Trade Center, formerly dubbed the “Freedom Tower.”
Though several were initially considered, the final design for the Freedom Tower calls for the structure to reach 1,776 feet into the air. It will offer 2.6 million square feet of space for offices, restaurants and other venues. The exterior design of the building incorporates a glass panel facade with tapered corners.
Construction began on the tower in April 2006 and by December, the first concrete was poured to prepare the foundation on a project that is expected to come with a final price tag of $3.1 billion. A completion date for the tower is currently expected in late 2013, and by the beginning of August 2011, the building stood nearly 80 stories tall. According to the New York Times, construction is progressing at about one floor per week.
The building itself will include environmentally friendly technologies such as renewable energy and a water recycling system, but there will also be several safety features incorporated based on information gleaned a decade ago.
When two Boeing 767 jetliners crashed into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11, it took less than two hours for the buildings to collapse. A fire in both buildings, resulting from the impact of the airplanes, is believed to have caused the interior structures of the towers to weaken considerably.
The new tower will include fireproofing materials in its construction as well as structural redundancy to add extra elements of support. There will also be fireproof elevators, biological and chemical filters in the air supply system, and triple-wide stairways. These safety measures can be used in conjunction with enhanced elevators, housed in a protected central building core, according to the tower’s developer.
Last summer, I had an opportunity to see Ground Zero. Even to my tourist eyes, it was clear that they are building a strong tower. It will be stronger than the twins it is replacing to be sure. Yet concrete and steel will not last forever. While the strength of the new tower is unrivaled and a monument to the strength of the American spirit, even this monument—this strong tower—will not last forever.
But you have a Strong Tower that will.
The name of the LORD
is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it
and are safe. –Proverbs 18:10
I recall the sense of disbelief and fear ten years ago following the attacks. We were not as secure as we thought we were. We were not living in a land of blanket safety. The eerie sound of silence in the skies for a week and the cement bunkers in front of the Boise Capital Building showed the fear even way out in Idaho, thousands of miles from the attacks. A decade later, those immediate fears have eased, yet we face fears of different foes each day. What scares you? Perhaps you’ve had a health scare recently. Maybe you found out your job is not as secure as you thought. Or maybe you were just in the car of someone who is an incredibly scary driver. Perhaps you are worried about your children. Fear plays a role in our decision making more often than we care to admit. Fear can be strong or subtle, overt or hidden. The presence of fear we need not debate. The important thing is what you choose to do about it.
You have a strong tower. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Fascinating passage, in ancient times as today, towers signify strength and protection. Yet our greatest strength is understanding when to race toward a strength much greater than our own. As Kenny Rogers sang, “you got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.”
Too many times to count, we didn’t know. Or, more likely, we knew but decided to do what we wanted to do instead of what was right. We didn’t run to our strong tower when faced with temptation, difficulty or danger. In a reverse of Psalm 1, we chose to walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners and sit in the seat of mockers. This shows our sinfulness, which had only hell waiting for us. But that is why the Savior came, our Strong Tower who became fully human, strapped on sandals and walked our roads, ate our food, sweat in our heat, sighed, cried, and died. He did it all for you and empowers you through the forgiveness he won for you. Because of what Jesus has done, you are God’s dear child, you are precious to him, and God loves it when you run—don’t walk— to him. Only when you and I realize our weakness, are we truly strong—depending on our Lord’s strength instead of our own. Yes, God knows we are weak; so He is strong. This is why we are strong. This is why we need not be terrified or discouraged. God is with you. God will be with you wherever you go. Some of you know this firsthand—Some of you know how God was with you in Hong Kong, in Vietnam, and in America. God has never deserted or left you; he is your strong tower. And he will be your strong tower forever.