MONDAY MORNING REFLECTION - MORE TRAGEDY FOR VIRGINIA TECH

Last Thursday was a study day at Virginia Tech. Finals were set for Friday, but for now the finals are on hold. A gunman shot and killed a police officer on campus at a routine traffic stop. The shooter did not appear to be part of the traffic stop. Soon another body was found. Three years ago Virginia Tech experienced the single worst shooting in modern American history when 33 people died in a few hours on campus at the handles of a single gunman. Once again Tech was hit with a violent tragedy.

 

A friend of  mine, Tammie Gitt, posted this thought on Facebook.  "Thank a police officer today. He might die for you tomorrow."  Let me add my "amen."

More details will emerge I am sure about these killings, but my reflection is this. We live in a fallen world. By that, I mean that the world intended by our Creator has been damaged beyond measure by our human sin.  

Although it is popular to believe in the progressive goodness of humankind, the daily violence of even a free society is an unavoidable reminder of the dark stain of sin upon the heart of humanity.  It is a stain that we have not been successful to erase.  We will not be able to do so without the intervention of Someone who is above our humanity and without sin's corruption.

That's why a little more than 2000 years ago, a holy God Himself entered time and space and took up residence among us.  This is why He gave His life through the life of His perfect Son, Jesus Christ - so that our lives would be freed from the power and the penalty of sin. The Virginia Tech killings remind us that we still live in the presence of sin.  The baby born in that manger reminds us of the life transforming power to defeat that sin once and for all.

Sin's demise does not some through a political program or a social philosophy.  

It cannot be voted out of power nor overthrown by a military option.

It will not end by human persuasion or the right human leader or system.

There is not enough education to overcome its insidious grasp on the human mind and spirit.

Sin requires a Savior.

^"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' - Romans 5:6-8

(C) 2011 Stephen L Dunn