April 19, 1995

Between 9:01 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. on April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City stood still as an act of incredible violence rocked it's core destroying the lives of 168, 19 of which were children, and permanently altering the lives of many hundreds of people. The story is told in a remarkable manner as you quietly walk through the Oklahoma City National Museum. Stepping off the elevator on the third floor you embark on a step by step reenactment of that fateful day. A still heaviness rests on your shoulders as you view items found in the debris, from a woman's wristwatch to a child's shoe. Reverently walking through the "photo gallery" of those killed in the blast tears form in your eyes and no words are spoken. After spending over an hour in the museum you are further impacted by the outdoor symbolic memorial. From the Memorial Overlook you can take in such sites as The Gates of Time, Reflecting Pool, and the spectacular Survivor Tree. Yet what gripped me the most was the Field of Empty Chairs, each of the 168 symbolizing a life lost, with smaller chairs representing the 19 children killed-children who never had a chance to grow up, to go on their first date, to get their driver's license, to turn 21, to get married, to raise a family, to LIVE! It all seems so wrong, so tragic, so heartbreaking. Why? I know there is no answer to that question. Evil exists and Satan loves to destroy. So where was God? I believe God was there in the midst of the chaos. He was there with the fire men, the ambulance workers, the churches that opened their doors, the people who flooded the city with volunteer help, the prayers of relatives, friends, and strangers all around the world. He was there carrying grief and giving comfort only those who experienced it can fully understand. In the city of Oklahoma many could atest to the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."