Where were you on the following dates: January 20, 1981; March 30, 1981; January 28, 1986; January 16/17, 1991; April 19, 1995; September 11, 2001?

There are several days in our lives during which events occur that are so dramatic that the moment is forever etched into our minds. The earliest such event that I recall is January 20, 1981 when Americans who had been held hostage in Iran were released from captivity, shortly after President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. Then came March 30, 1981. That is the day that an assassination attempt was made on President Reagan’s life. I was in the sixth grade, in art class at Heritage Christian School, in Canton, Ohio, when the principal announced that our president had been shot, and had a moment of silence followed by a brief prayer.

Then on January 28, 1986 came the first space shuttle disaster when the shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff. I was a junior at Kenmore High School, in my American literature class when I heard the news.

The next major event that comes to my mind is the day President George H.W. Bush began the first Desert Storm. January 17, 1991 local time, January 16, 7pm Eastern time in the U.S. I was in church, attending midweek service when someone came in and announced that we had begun bombing Iraqi forces in response to their invasion of Kuwait.

Then, on April 19, 1995, I was just beginning to wake up in my apartment on the campus of Southern Nazarene University when I was jolted fully awake by what I at first thought was thunder but just a minute later found had been a terrorist attack several miles away on the federal building in Oklahoma City.

Ironically, six years later, on September 11, 2001, I was working as a detention officer at the Oklahoma County jail, and my assignment that day was guarding Terry Nichols, one of the conspirators of the Oklahoma City bombing. I had just completed a sight check of Mr. Nichols when I heard the news of the attack against our nation on the radio.

Today, is a day when we, as Americans, remember the attack, twelve years ago, by terrorist cowards. We honor the memories of those who gave their lives responding to those attacks, from the Twin Towers in New York City, to the Pentagon, and the passengers United Flight 93 that went down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We also honor the survivors and the family members of those whose lives were lost.

To be sure there are other important and memorable events: April 12, 1981 – the first space shuttle mission, and November 9, 1989 – the fall of the Berlin wall are just two.

As I reflect on the events of twelve years ago, as well as the other events listed above, I am also reminded of two events that have not yet occurred, but will eventually take place.

First, there will eventually be the rapture of those who have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. Those who have already died will be raised from the grave, followed by those who are still alive. Regardless of when this takes place, well you be one of those raptured, our will you be one of those left behind?

Second, there will also be a day of judgement, where we will all stand before God and he will divide us according to whether or not we have accepted His Son as our Saviour. Those who have accepted Christ will be welcomed in to eternal life, in the New Jerusalem. Those who have rejected Christ, or who have only paid him lip service will be condemned to eternal death.

As we reflect today on the events of twelve years ago, I also ask you to reflect on your future. We don’t know where we will be when the next earth shaking event takes place. But you can know where you will be after the final event takes place.

If you have not already accepted Christ as Savior and Lord, I beg you to do so now. If, at one time, you had accepted Him, but have allowed yourself to slip away, or even if you walked away, it’s not too late to return to Him. Today is the day of salvation. Those who died twelve years ago most likely had no idea it was to be their last day on earth. Are you ready for eternity?