“Pray for Virginia Tech Families” … “God Bless Virginia Tech” … “Our Prayers are with Va. Tech” … “Remember the Hokies!” … “Hokies Forever”. As I drove to church early Sunday morning—after a week out of the country on a mission trip—the messages of support seemingly were everywhere, emblazoned on business marquees all across Danville.
Looking out on the congregation during our morning worship services, I saw a subtle collage of color—in the form of ties, shirts, lapel pins, and other orange & maroon accessories—all collectively communicating heartfelt compassion for those most deeply affected by last week’s horrific tragedy in Blacksburg. Truly, this past week—whether alumni of U.Va., Duke, UNC or wherever—all of us were Hokies.
Without question, this one hit really close to home. After years of painfully watching news reports of similar crimes in seemingly far removed places like Littleton, Colorado and Austin, Texas, it’s hard to believe that the deadliest shooting in U.S. history has now occurred right here in our own state, less than 120 miles from our church.
Our large church family includes several Virginia Tech students as well as a sizeable contingent of Hokie alumni. While no one from Mount Hermon was wounded or killed in last week’s murderous rampage—Thank God!—many of our people have been indirectly impacted to varying degrees. It’s going to be tough to get over this. It’s going to take much time for the deep emotional wounds to heal.
Why do horrible things like this happen?
The bottom line is that we live in a fallen, sin-corrupted world. Evil is part of our human existence because of our collective abuse and misuse of our God-given freedoms. All members of the human race—no matter how noble or beautiful or cultured or educated they may appear to be—are sinners by nature and sinners by choice. The Bible continually asserts this reality: “There is none righteous, no not one...For all of have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…All we like sheep have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way.” Sometimes, we lose sight of these basic truths, until something like last Monday’s shootings gives us an abrupt wakeup call.
The good news, however, is that—in spite of our stubbornness, rebelliousness, arrogance and ignorance—God still loves us and wants to redeem us. But, here’s the twist: This amazing, all-powerful God who created us does not use His superior position to force Himself on us. Indeed, He does not compel us to love Him back, like puppets on a string or robotic Stepford Wives. For, you see, God knows (and we need to understand) that genuine love can never be coerced. It can only occur in the context of freedom. Thus, God proves His love for us in His willingness to let us go, risking even the very thing He most definitely wants to avoid—the prospect of losing us forever—all for the sake of giving us the opportunity to love Him freely from our own hearts.
Sadly, many persons live their whole lives resisting and refusing God’s love, continuing along the road of rebellion all the way to a Christless eternity. Such is the case of anyone that rejects Jesus, whether they’re a powerful & prosperous businessman with no time for God or a troubled & tormented soul like Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho.
Last Monday’s slaughter reminds us that there are always consequences to human sins, and many times innocent people suffer as a result. That was very evident at Virginia Tech. The same thing happened in New York City on September 11, 2001. God did not fly those planes into the World Trade Center. Evil men did that—men whose hearts were in rebellion against God. As they abused their God-given freedom by choosing the path of evil, innocent people perished as a result.
In this world, Jesus tells us, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust.” In other words, just because someone is a follower of Jesus Christ, or even seemingly a “good person”, that does not exempt them from life’s heartaches and tragedies.
But here’s some good news. Jesus also said that “In this world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In other words, we can survive and ultimately even thrive in the face of evil, persecution and hardship, all because of our living hope in a loving Lord.
Last week’s shootings in Blacksburg remind us that the world is still in deep spiritual need and desperate for Jesus, whether they realize it or not. There are many troubled souls that need the peace and spiritual healing that only God can bring. And there today are many, many more hearts gripped by grief that need the comfort that only comes from His touch. As instruments of His grace, you and I must look for opportunities to share that grace with a world in need around us.
It’s been a good while since I was in college. And all of my academic degrees come from institutions of higher learning in Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina, respectively. But today, in my heart, I’m a Hokie. May God bless the Hokies forever!
Pastor Danny
Looking out on the congregation during our morning worship services, I saw a subtle collage of color—in the form of ties, shirts, lapel pins, and other orange & maroon accessories—all collectively communicating heartfelt compassion for those most deeply affected by last week’s horrific tragedy in Blacksburg. Truly, this past week—whether alumni of U.Va., Duke, UNC or wherever—all of us were Hokies.
Without question, this one hit really close to home. After years of painfully watching news reports of similar crimes in seemingly far removed places like Littleton, Colorado and Austin, Texas, it’s hard to believe that the deadliest shooting in U.S. history has now occurred right here in our own state, less than 120 miles from our church.
Our large church family includes several Virginia Tech students as well as a sizeable contingent of Hokie alumni. While no one from Mount Hermon was wounded or killed in last week’s murderous rampage—Thank God!—many of our people have been indirectly impacted to varying degrees. It’s going to be tough to get over this. It’s going to take much time for the deep emotional wounds to heal.
Why do horrible things like this happen?
The bottom line is that we live in a fallen, sin-corrupted world. Evil is part of our human existence because of our collective abuse and misuse of our God-given freedoms. All members of the human race—no matter how noble or beautiful or cultured or educated they may appear to be—are sinners by nature and sinners by choice. The Bible continually asserts this reality: “There is none righteous, no not one...For all of have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…All we like sheep have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way.” Sometimes, we lose sight of these basic truths, until something like last Monday’s shootings gives us an abrupt wakeup call.
The good news, however, is that—in spite of our stubbornness, rebelliousness, arrogance and ignorance—God still loves us and wants to redeem us. But, here’s the twist: This amazing, all-powerful God who created us does not use His superior position to force Himself on us. Indeed, He does not compel us to love Him back, like puppets on a string or robotic Stepford Wives. For, you see, God knows (and we need to understand) that genuine love can never be coerced. It can only occur in the context of freedom. Thus, God proves His love for us in His willingness to let us go, risking even the very thing He most definitely wants to avoid—the prospect of losing us forever—all for the sake of giving us the opportunity to love Him freely from our own hearts.
Sadly, many persons live their whole lives resisting and refusing God’s love, continuing along the road of rebellion all the way to a Christless eternity. Such is the case of anyone that rejects Jesus, whether they’re a powerful & prosperous businessman with no time for God or a troubled & tormented soul like Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho.
Last Monday’s slaughter reminds us that there are always consequences to human sins, and many times innocent people suffer as a result. That was very evident at Virginia Tech. The same thing happened in New York City on September 11, 2001. God did not fly those planes into the World Trade Center. Evil men did that—men whose hearts were in rebellion against God. As they abused their God-given freedom by choosing the path of evil, innocent people perished as a result.
In this world, Jesus tells us, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust.” In other words, just because someone is a follower of Jesus Christ, or even seemingly a “good person”, that does not exempt them from life’s heartaches and tragedies.
But here’s some good news. Jesus also said that “In this world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In other words, we can survive and ultimately even thrive in the face of evil, persecution and hardship, all because of our living hope in a loving Lord.
Last week’s shootings in Blacksburg remind us that the world is still in deep spiritual need and desperate for Jesus, whether they realize it or not. There are many troubled souls that need the peace and spiritual healing that only God can bring. And there today are many, many more hearts gripped by grief that need the comfort that only comes from His touch. As instruments of His grace, you and I must look for opportunities to share that grace with a world in need around us.
It’s been a good while since I was in college. And all of my academic degrees come from institutions of higher learning in Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina, respectively. But today, in my heart, I’m a Hokie. May God bless the Hokies forever!
Pastor Danny
