Virginia Tech

I considered not even posting today, contemplating yesterday's tragic events at Virginia Tech. I realize anything I can say is trite, and words really cannot express the profound sadness I feel for the friends and families of all the people who died there yesterday. Or for the students and faculty there whose world has been invaded by violence. Our daughter and son-in-law both did their under-grad and graduate work there. It's very eerie to see the TV footage, to recognize the campus and to consider what happened there.

One question keeps coming up at times like this, and that is, 'Where was God?' It's a question I think we all may ask at some time or another, facing tragedy. It was a question I pondered once when my dad died suddenly of a heart attack. And an answer actually came to me from a scripture verse, in a note from my mother.

The verse is Isaiah 63:9. In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.

To me, that verse meant that He was suffering in my suffering. He was there with me. It didn't explain why it happened or why He didn't apparently intervene, but it told me that He was there with me, and that He shared in my pain. It gave me hope that He would redeem the pain; and He did. And until that happened, He carried me.

That's been my prayer for those in the midst of this tragedy. . .