When you’ve predominately operated two- and four-seat single engine training aircraft, the opportunity to get your teenaged hands on an eight-seater twin-prop plane boosts the feeling of being a “real” pilot. I say “real” because this particular flight I was about to fl y was not a training flight, but for actual passenger transport. (Nothing like pretending to be in the big leagues.) I was crushed when my father informed me that my long-awaited trip was most likely canceled —something about all flights being grounded. Impossible. The date was Sept. 11, 2001.
We turned on the television moments before the second tower was struck by a plane. Weeks would pass airing stories of incomprehensible loss contrasted by unimaginable courage. Never before had I seen America, or even our allies for that matter, become so unified. Why does it take an immense tragedy for this level of cooperation to exist?
The nation tabled their political views and rallied behind President George W. Bush as he and Mayor Rudy Giuliani led the country through a time of mourning and rebuilding. Because of their leadership and resolve, as a teenager, I gained a new perspective on what it meant to be one — one nation under God, that is.
Fourteen years later and the unity has seemingly dissolved. Our America has become my America where we define patriotism in the same way Burger King takes our order: have it your way. This is a far cry from where we were when a packed stadium of fans, in unison, began chanting over and over “U-S-A!” following a ceremonial first pitch by Bush during game three of the 2001 World Series.
So what happened? When did our nation begin to divide like cells? When we made sin a thing to be tolerated, not eradicated. That’s right. We took things like anger, hate, lust, idolatry, greed, jealousy, selfishness and drunkenness and hid them behind a cause, not realizing they are all tools in the devil’s arsenal of division — perfect if you’re trying to keep the body from becoming one.
It’s time for a revival. Now, I’m not talking about pitching a big tent, getting the local hipster musicians together and preaching with extra syllables when you say “Jesus.” I’m talking about a revival of the heart — your heart, my heart.
The change we pray for in our nation isn’t going to come solely through a worship music rock concert or some fancy social media hashtag campaign. True change and restoration will occur when each of us clears our heart like Jesus cleared the Temple area of merchants. In John 2:15-16, Jesus says, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” He knew the Temple area was a sacred spot reserved for God. Don’t believe me? Go check out the moment in Genesis when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son — one he had waited his whole life to see born. Though God was not actually going to have Abraham take his son’s life, He did want to test Abraham’s heart, see if he was willing to clear the “Temple” space.
So there it is. To take from the Tim Timmons song Starts with Me, the change we seek begins when we Christians hit our knees.
We must clear our hearts as Jesus cleared the Temple so that, when we stand, we are ready (and filled with courage) to be the light in a country plagued with brokenness dividing us from being what we’re called to be: one nation under God.
C.J. Wetzler is the Next-Gen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.
