Today marks eleven years since the tragic events of 9/11/01. What does this day mean to you?

To many, it is a day of mourning, a day to remember the loss of loved ones. For others, it marked the beginning of many unfolding events that led to friends and family serving in far away nations to fight in Afghanistan or Iraq.

But many simply forget.

We forget in two ways: One, we forget the horrors of that day. Today’s hectic activities quickly fill the void of solemn sorrow that marked our souls those many days ago. Two, we forget the positives since that day. A 9/11-like attack has not taken place in our nation since that day. Millions of Americans continue to live in freedom and make a difference in the lives of others.

Today, let us respond accordingly. Let us remember the pain of 9/11 and mourn with those who mourn. Yet let us also respond with thanks to God for his protection in so many ways since that day and for his grace each moment of the journey.

A 9/11 Prayer:

God, we acknowledge you are all-powerful and all-wise. Your strength and understanding extend beyond our comprehension. When we do not understand the evil around us, we realize that we also fail to understand the love you supply all around us. Despite our pains, our past, and our problems, your love reaches down unconditionally to all.

Today, we come to you in mourning for those who mourn and weeping with those who weep. We pray your peace among those who lost family and loved ones on that tragic day on September 11th, 2001, as well as those who have lost loved ones in the aftermath of this event. To our peacekeepers, our first responders, our armed forces, and our governing officials, we ask your protection and wisdom as they stand in harm’s way and make decisions that impact us all.

We also pray for your protection upon our nation and our people today and in the days ahead. To those who seek our nation’s harm, we pray you would dismantle their plans. To those who threaten our security, we pray you would change their hearts and circumstances in a way that brings peace where there would otherwise be war.

You alone are our nation’s protector. We praise you for those who serve as first responders in our land as firefighters, police officers, armed forces, and in medical professions, yet we confess we are helpless apart from you. Be our strength this day and in the days ahead. May this land continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. We ask that you would continue to bless America. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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DILLON BURROUGHS is an author, activist, and co-founder of Activist Faith. Dillon served in Haiti following the epic 2010 earthquake and has investigated modern slavery in the US and internationally. His books include Undefending Christianity, Not in My Town (with Charles J. Powell), and Thirst No More. Discover more at ActivistFaith.org.