Yesterday morning at 7:15 AM gunfire was reported in a dorm at Virginia Tech University, within the hour this building was locked down with campus police searching for a gunman after 2 people were shot and killed. Less than two hours later, about 9:15 AM gunfire was reported in another campus building, nearly half a mile away. When all was said and done, at least 32 are reported as being killed along with the gunman, a South Korean student, with many others injured. Students, teachers, lecturers…all innocent victims to one man's homicidal rampage.
For some, the easy thing to do right now is to ask, "Where is God at?" or "Why does God allow things like this to happen?", as they fall into that vicious cycle of doubt that only leads to a slow and painful decay of hope. For others they might call out to God, like the many who sang "I will sing of His love forever" last night by candlelight in Blacksburg, VA.
I can understand the questions, and I can understand those who are calling out to God…but when all is said and done, not even I know all of the answers. I wish I did, but I don't. Just like any other person; be it clergy or layman, Christian or atheist, adult or child does not know all the answers.
But there are a few things I do know and I am certain of, and I would like to share those
1. Life is uncertain: James 4:14 tells us, "You don't even know what tomorrow will bring - what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes." (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
I've heard some say that the only certain thing about life is its uncertainty…and I have to agree. I can control right here and now at best, and that isn't even all the time. I have no control over others, and no control over tomorrow; just my present. Neither me, nor you are promised tomorrow…and we are all appointed a time to do, and then we face the judgment according to Hebrews 9:27. That is why it is so important to make the most of every moment we live and ever breath we take.
2. There is bound to be trouble: In Matthew 5:45 Jesus tells us, "For He (meaning God) causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
We live in a fallen world. When Adam bit into that piece of fruit, life was changed in an instance. We now face evil on a daily basis, and the same tempter who influenced Adam and Eve is still at work seeking to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). As a result, bad things happen to even the best of people. We are going to face pain and death at some time in our life, and this is a sad reality that we must face. But thankfully we have a hope in spite of this, according to my next point…
3. We have a safe place: In Psalm 27:5, the Holy Spirit inspired King David to say, "For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity; He will hide me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high on a rock."
Once again, people are crying out to God in prayer or calling their clergy on the phone and asking, "Why?" and wondering if they are really safe. A college campus should be a safe place, right? I can't help but remember those words of FDR when he reassured a struggling America that "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Fear is a terrible thing and is not a place where we want to stay and reside; especially when God has given us a safe haven.
We can't trust in our finances as we see the ups and downs of the stock market, military might as we saw on 9/11 when terrorists struck the Pentagon, or our government which is nothing more than organized chaos with one side attacking the other. But we can trust in the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7 tells us, "Some take pride in chariot, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God."
God has not given a spirit of fear, according to 2 Timothy 1:7, but of power, love and sound judgment. All we have to do is lift up our eyes to the hills from where our help comes from (Psalm 121), and there we find God's arms wide open for us.
4. This is a time Act: Jesus said in John 4:35 "Don't you say, 'There are still four more months, then comes the harvest.' Listen to what I'm telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest."
While the police at VT and in Blacksburg sort through the evidence and figure out what happened and why, the talking heads you see on the network news will point fingers and try to accuse blame on anyone and everyone they disagree with. The loved ones of the victims will mourn, and these students who witnessed this will hopefully find some way to not only cope, but to recover from this. While all of this, and then more takes place…it's time for the church to react and take action.
We need to set our priorities based on God's priorities. We need to be asking ourselves, how many of these victims were not yet saved by grace through faith alone? Had a Christian even shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them? Each one of these souls mattered to someone, and they mattered to God because He sent His Son to pay a price for their sins so that they might be forgiven and given eternal life (John 3:16).And finally…
5. God is Speaking To His Church: "…and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgiven their sin, and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
If you read through God's message to each of the churches in Revelations, you will find, "Anyone who has an ear should listen…" at the end of each letter. I believe that when Oklahoma Cities, Columbines, 9/11's and now Virginia Techs happen that the church needs to hear the message. I really do believe that God is yelling at us in the church to wake up, get off our little boxes that we have tried to put Him into, get onto our faces and cry out to Him like we need Him…because we do!
The Church of Jesus Christ, the one that is made up of born again believers, who are saved by grace through faith alone, is a sleeping giant; and it's time to stop hitting the snooze button. We need to get our attention off ourselves and realize that Jesus is standing at the door and knocking (Revelation 3:20)…and it's for us, not for those outside the church. I just have to wonder what it will take for me and you to open that door.
Father God, forgive me for sleeping, and forgive me for not paying attention. Forgive me for not making your Gospel known, and for keeping it to myself. Take me, break me, mold me and make me…it has to be less of me and more of You Lord Jesus. Please bring healing to Virginia Tech and bring revival to our land.
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