Well, if you ever doubted that we had entered a strange new world a few years back, you don’t any more. In this monthly column, I usually try to take a look at popular culture with a Christian viewpoint, but my mind is, like everyone else’s, trapped by the images of collapsing towers.

We are in a swirl of emotions, images and thoughts as we attempt to regain some equilibrium about the tragedy that hit our nation in September. You are probably reading these words in November, a time when we might be thinking about the holidays. We will do that, of course, and maybe this Thanksgiving we will be truly thankful, but right now its late September, only 2 weeks since we were jolted into the reality of the war that has been raging around the world for a few years now.

Already many are getting apocalyptic (and maybe for good reason) with the image of a devilish face in the smoke, the various fake Nostradamus quotes, and thoughts of war. Billy Graham preaching the gospel to all nations at one time at the Friday memorial service the week of the attack is just one more shocking idea that hits the internet.

It is not all that amazing that the date of the attack is 9/11/01. 9-1-1 is our national call sign for an emergency. This is a 9-1-1 for America. But who will we call? Many are once again praying to God, but do they know who they are even talking to?

My prayer for the church in America is that we will finally shake off the slumber and rise up to be the disciples He said we should be. We must take the stage now as Salt and Light in what may be (at the very moment you are reading this) a world war of sorts. God has given us this moment to have people with a desire to hear. Are we ready to speak clearly, past the religious mumbo-jumbo, to a real story about a real person that you really have a real relationship with?

So, America, what will it be? Will we 9-1-1 our military forces? Will we 9-1-1 the President? Our allies? Will we, like Israel from centuries of old, turn to allies that once were our enemies? Or will we 9-1-1 the Eternal One, the Creator God, the God of our forefathers? Will we pray to God for His mercy and will we turn from our wicked ways? I’ve been calling my church to make these days ones of intense prayer, fasting, soul searching. Of course, do all you can for the victims and their families. Pray for wisdom for our leaders. But also, ask God to help you be the person who lives out a life that is worthy of the calling.

9-1-1, will it be a date that will live in infamy or will it be a date that, centuries from now, people will know that America returned to its God?

Let’s 9-1-1 the Father.