God has a way of turning tragedy into triumph and making piles of rubble into trophies of grace. There have been many stories of such transformations since the horrible terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. There have been numerous testimonies of families of the victims who are not only surviving but are shining lights to the nation and the world.

But fire fighters and clean-up crews found two heavy beams of steel that crashed to the ground and were left standing in the perfect shape of a cross. As they unearthed tons of steel, they found this cross standing. Engineers have tried to figure out how it could have survived in one piece, but others believe it's God's sign to the people of America. The terrorists aimed at targets that were symbolic of America's power - the financial institutions, military centers and political buildings. They destroyed great edifices of finance and severely damaged the headquarters of American military power.

But in the midst of the debris and wreckage, a cross emerged. Evil men have never understood that the greatness of America doesn't lie in its financial institutions or military strength. But the greatness of the nation lies in the deep-seated faith in the hearts of the people. Terrorists can blow up every major symbol of America, but out of the tragedy will emerge that which has been foundational for the nation since its inception - the old rugged cross.

Pilgrims came to America because of their desire to freely worship the Savior who died on an old rugged cross 2000 years ago. Their testimony was that through faith in Christ, people can face any difficulty or tragedy handed to them. And why is the cross the great symbol of hope, peace and freedom?

It's because of who Jesus is and what He's done for us. Jesus was, is, and always will be God. But one day, He left His throne in glory and clothed Himself with human flesh -born of a virgin and conceived of the Holy Spirit. He was all God and all man. The Bible gives Him the name - "Son of God." But He's also called, "Son of Man." The first name refers to His divinity, but the second to His humanity.

The uniqueness of Jesus is that He (God) became a man. He hurt like we hurt. He felt what we felt. He needed food just like we need food. He identified with our struggles. He didn't just remain on His throne in glory, but He humbled Himself by becoming a man. One man (Adam) blew it for all of us, but one Man (Jesus) won the victory for all of us. Oh, what a Savior!

Yes, Jesus came to the rubble of humanity 2000 years ago. He hung between two thieves, suspended between heaven and earth. He was lifted high on an old rugged cross. God didn't die on the cross, but Jesus, the Son of Man, died. And three days later, He arose from the grave. Without His death, there could have never been a resurrection. Hallelujah! He's alive! Out of the rubble of humanity, the cross still emerges as a shining light. It's all because of one Man - the Son of Man.

Yes, Satan may attack us. He may even wreck our lives and attempt to turn us into a heap of ashes. But the cross will always stand as our place of hope. Nothing can take that away from us. There's freedom in the cross. There's love in the cross. There's forgiveness in the cross. There's salvation in the cross. There's the Son of Man who died on the cross. And He's no longer there. He's at the right hand of the Father, and one day, He will return triumphantly in all of His glory. He's the Son of God who is the Son of Man. Trust Him. He'll rebuild your life and turn your ashes in beauty. Look to the cross. It stands in the midst of the rubble of broken hearts and shattered lives. Nothing can destroy what the Son of Man did there. It's not just a symbol, but it's the reality of true freedom and victory for our lives.