Are the Bones of American Society Broken?

That blessing alone is almost too great to be counted. But we can also count the blessing that our political system still responds with an unusual level of integrity to the signals sent by the people. Elections are relatively honest, and they matter. We can peacefully change the course of government. It can still be truly said of us that our own personal integrity, or lack of it, makes a difference and is reflected in how we are ruled.

In other words, our "bones" are still unbroken, in that movement is still possible. This is a tremendous blessing. We are not called to a static life, one focused on either the triumphs or the evils of the past. We are called to move, and move forward. We are called to move the immovable. When the Roman Empire encountered a tiny band of Christians, it was the Roman Empire that gave way. The Christians had little organization, and as human eyes would see it, they were quickly divided by disputes over doctrine and personalities. The Roman Empire, meanwhile, administered the most comprehensive and powerful system of organization the world had ever seen. Yet in that seemingly overmatched confrontation, it was the empire that gave way.

That is the measure of what our unbroken bones can do for us. The anniversary of 9/11 need not be about our disputes, our complaints, our apprehensions, or our melancholy ambivalence. We have blessings to count. The Psalms are our guide to the importance of lining them up and counting them. God is able to preserve our bones unbroken, in spite of the tempest that rages around us. And He has promised that He will.