As the facts continue to unfold it becomes increasingly obvious that the killer at VT was an isolated man with obvious psychological disorders and a deep, burning anger in his soul. In his videotapes he compares himself (along with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold) to a savior who is willing to die and kill for those who are downtrodden, weak and overlooked.
The murders were well thought out and carried out with precise execution. This was no madman in a fit of rage. This was a madman with a murderous business plan that was strategized over the course of months and carried out in the course of a few hours.
What can we learn from this whole thing?
- It could happen to us and our kids.
That’s what gets my attention. I think of Jeremy and Kailey sitting in classroom someday and a locked-and-loaded crazy man entering into their school with evil intent. But, at the end of the day (or the beginning of it for that matter), the ultimate security system is prayer. May we pray with fervency for our children and the children of America. But even more vital than their physical safety is their spiritual safety. Through Christ we have confident assurance of our salvation and that, for us, death is not a tragedy but a transition.
2, Things are going to go from bad to worse.
Don’t believe me? Read the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 and 25 or check out this book called Revelation. The Lord rightly told us that in the last days “the love of many will wax cold.” More and more will have less and less of love for others.
For those utopians out there you may want to re-read the exacting prophecies throughout Scripture of “the day of the Lord” that is coming and the mayhem that will get increasingly more intense as we draw closer to the final judgments of God on earth. Or you can just continue to spiritualize those passages and speak happy thoughts to yourself. Everytime we read about wars, rumors of wars, famine, pestilence, or in this case, mass murder, we are seeing the words of God fulfilled before our very eyes.
3. The church must rise up and reach out!
This is the time for the body of Christ to rise up out of the pews, out of the committee meetings, out of the talk-talk-talk and do something. I love the words of Charles Spurgeon to his preacher boys that went something like this:
“Gentlemen do something! Do something! Do something! When everybody else is in a committee meeting do something! When everybody else is talking do something! Our goal, gentlemen, is not to talk about saving souls but to do it and that for the glory of God.”
Let us bind up the wounds of the hurting. Let us reach out with the hands of Jesus. Let us listen, feel, cry and let us share. Let us share the good news of Jesus who endured the ultimate tragedy so that we could have the ultimate triumph.
Rise up! Reach out! There is hope! Amen?
