The last few days have been difficult to process. There are always the questions of why. There has been the constant finger pointing by the media and others. I finally had to stop watching the news coverage this morning, because of the “blame game.”

The title of my blog is Virginia Transplant. I take a lot of ribbing being from the north. This past Christmas, one of the couples in our congregation got my daughter a VT t-shirt to go with her Michigan and Penn State t-shirts. This tragedy supercedes rivalries. Even though I am not an alumni, I do plan on finding some maroon and orange for Friday. I have been in prayer constantly for the families, the students, staff, and faculty of Virginia Tech. My children made cards for some of the students. Pastor Rod wrote this great (I think) response to why things like this happen. Here’s a summary.

  • God created a good world in which his creatures were given the freedom to submit to his authority or to rebel against it.
  • Because God made humans in his own image and granted them a degree of freedom, they have the ability to make real choices with real consequences that affect others as well as themselves, for good or for ill.
  • Yet in the midst of this creaturely freedom, God remains in control.
  • He accomplishes his purpose in human history without fail.
  • He accomplishes his purpose in the lives of those who trust in him and depend upon his grace.
  • He showers his grace upon even those who are rebellious and temporarily protects them from the ultimate consequences of their choices.
  • He even uses the very acts of disobedience and rebellion to accomplish his purposes.
  • God does not remain distant and detached from human suffering, saying, “I told you so.”
  • Rather, he participates in our suffering, offering comfort and healing.
  • Earthly life is about more than just “getting signed up for heaven.”
  • God opposes evil in every form in which it appears and calls his people to do the same.
  • Our choices really matter. They affect us and the people around us.

So, this is sort of the way I feel at this moment…I believe God has already changed the course of Sunday’s service and I am working at processing all as I prepare to preach Sunday. Thanks to Joy and Mark for your comments and your prayers….Continue to pray…