tragedy at VT: my thoughts

I think its time to weigh in on the VT tragedy. So much has been said. I was in England when it happened. Monday night, in Leicester Sq. (in the very middle of what's happenin' in London) we were standing around and one of the girls said "What is the president of Virginia Tech doing on TV?" I walked over to the store window, it was the entrance to a club or something, there were two guys in there but the doors were locked and they wouldn't let me in. Now, in retrospect, I'm glad... 'cuz I would have known what had happened and we were still out and about and I would not have wanted to deal with the news on the street like that. I am grateful that we found out when we returned to the hotel. I was glad to be able to find out that all of our friends from school were okay. But saddened by their personal losses of friends.

All along, from the first night, I've been struck by the way the media has gone from issue to issue... two hour delay to gun control to mental health. In England, the news was 75% about the "American love of guns." When I got back to the US the media was talking about gun control and the two hours and the failure to lock down (of course the lock down seems such a stupid issue to me at the time of day as big as Tech is), but the press conference was like a feeding frenzy of the reporters going after the Tech officials. (I was glad to hear the Tech community gave their president a supportive ovation at the convocation) I think they were amazingly composed at this onslaught of challenges from the press corps, all trying to make a name by trying to ask the big question, get the big headline. On Tuesday night, NBC just wouldn't let the 2 hour question go. It's like, "let's try to get this grieving father who just lost his daughter 36 hours ago to slam the school so we can feel good about our ability to break a story." I was pretty angry at the press when I watched this. Shame on you Stone Phillips, shame on you NBC! sorry to just pick on them, I know they all (media) did it. But now, at the end of the week, its about mental health care. One commentator on NPR yesterday stated, "Cho should have been in a state mental hospital instead of a state university." What a shame.

Enough of my rant... So what do we do? Here are some thoughts I have from Scripture (all from ESV):

from Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

from Psalm 69
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant;
for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!

I think of the value of the lyrics from the first part to the song "Kindness" by Chris Tomlin

Open up the skies of mercy
And rain down the cleansing flood
Healing waters rise around us
Hear our cries Lord let 'em rise
Open up the skies of mercy
And rain down the cleansing flood
Healing waters rise around us
Hear our cries Lord let 'em rise

We can feel
Your mercy falling
You are turnin our hearts back again
Hear our praises rise to heaven
Draw us near Lord
Meet us here

As I think of this song, I think of another great Psalm...

from Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. [1]
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

Even in the midst of tragedy, The Father is with us. Bringing us through, carrying us when we are weak. Let us move closer to Him, to walk at his side. Let us not hate (even in my rant against the press, I must not hate the person), let us seek to support and love. And let us pray for the victims, both those who have been killed and those many, many victims who suffer their loss.

Father, please grant peace to the grieving, help to the weary, strength to those who do not know how they will go on. Jesus, thank you for making peace possible through your work. Holy Spirit, please bring a warm blanket of comfort to those who feel the cold of loss and hurt. Lord as these hurting ones go through the steps of grief, help them know that you are there with them every step of the way. May they one day look back and see that you are there with them. Thank You for caring, Amen.