They return to their offices, but all is not fine. At 9:03 am United Airlines Flight 175 is staring him in the face. “Suddenly I see this big gray airplane with red letters filling the window,” he says, “It’s coming right at me.” He ducks under his desk. A burst of flame interrupts the noise and darkness, revealing a protruding airplane wing blocking the exit only 20 feet away. “I’m going to die,” Praimnath thinks. Yet he cries out to God.

Finally a light miraculously pierces the haze. “I see the light!” he screamed as he crawled towards what he thinks must be his guardian angel. “Come toward the light,” a voice calls to him. “I’m here to help you.”

“Do you believe in Christ?” Praimnath yelled, “Yes!” The voice tells him he must break through the plasterboard to escape. He kicks his way through as God’s peace envelops him. Together Stanley and the man with the light descend to Ground Zero and beyond. Stanley enters the first church he finds and gives thanks to God.

Another survivor David Hee-Don Lee says that we should be ready for whatever happens. He says that prayers offered by others spared his life. “We don’t know what will happen in the next minute.”

Maybe you are at Ground Zero right now. Perhaps you will be there tomorrow. You can have peace at Ground Zero. Jesus gives peace. “Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me.” “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:1, 27 NASB).

The disciples of Jesus found themselves at Ground Zero on the Sea of Galilee. It was a storm of hurricane proportions. (See Mark 4:35-41.) The waves were breaking over the boat. It was taking on water and terror filled their hearts. Where was Jesus? He was at the stern of the boat, asleep on a cushion. He had perfect peace. How can we have peace at Ground Zero?

Forsake the Crowds – “And leaving the multitudes, they took Him along with them, and other boats were with Him” (Mark 4:36). To have the peace of Jesus you must forsake the crowds and go with Jesus. Christ must become your every thing. You must love Him more than anyone or anything else. (See Luke 14:26.)

Lot’s wife was at Ground Zero during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone. She looked back and came to a tragic end. (See Genesis 19:26.) Friend, forsake all and go with Jesus. (See Matthew 16:24.)

Fellowship with God – Jesus was with them in the boat and they were with Jesus. In a storm there is no safer place to be than with Jesus. Paul said, “Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). Don’t wait until Ground Zero to call on the Lord. It may be too late then. To have His peace, spend time with Him daily, through prayer, and the Word of God. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 NASB).

Fear Not – Gripped with fear, the disciples wake Jesus up. “Master, don’t you care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38) Fear will rob you of peace. Fear looks at the storm instead of the Savior.

Faith In God – will take you through. Jesus does care. He stood up, rebuked the storm and it became perfectly calm. Jesus said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40) When you are at Ground Zero, put your trust in the ONE who stills the storm, the ONE who walks on the waves that roll.

Thomas Kinckade, who is called “the painter of light”, has an inspiring painting of a stone bridge over a raging river. A dazzling light covers the bridge with warmth and peace. The painting is entitled “Bridge of Faith”. Put your faith in Jesus – the bridge over troubled waters.

At Ground Zero, with the World Trade Center crashing down, Stanley Praimnath went toward the light and was led to safety. Don’t wait for Ground Zero. Go toward the light today.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31 NASB).