4/18/2007
<br>Author: Devin Pickard
<br>Title: Viewpoint - April 18, 2007
<br><br>I wonder how many times a day the Lord is asked a question that begins with the word “Why”? Why us? Why my family? Why now? Why this church? Why not someone else? Why me? Why them? Why? Why? Why? If you have ever seen the movie “Bruce Almighty”, maybe you remember the scene where Jim Carey, who had taken on the identity of God, is receiving daily prayer requests. Not just a few prayers mind you, millions upon millions at a time. Sometimes, all at the same time. <br><br>I dare say that today, Tuesday April 17, 2007, is one of those days that God is receiving millions of prayers at the same time that all begin with the word “Why”. At this minute, we are in the shadows of the worst shooting spree in U.S. history. Yesterday, for reasons yet unknown, a young man shot and killed at least 32 people at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. before taking his own life. As one might imagine, we are now inundated with details of this horrible event updated literally minute by minute. Rest assured, at the end of the investigation, almost every question will have been answered. Authorities will know who, how, what, where and when. They will dissect every aspect of Cho Seung-Hui’s life and try to figure out what was going through his 23 year old mind at the time he decided to take 32 people into eternity with him. The one question that may never be answered is “Why?”. You can bet the brightest minds in the world of psychology and profiling will try shed some light on rhyme and reason, but in the end, God Almighty may be the only one to ever know.<br><br>The word “why” is used at least 282 times in Holy Scripture. Many of God’s greatest servants used this one word question often. Abraham, Moses, David, Job, and Solomon; they all looked heavenward with arms outstretched and shoulders shrugged on more than one occasion. Perhaps the most well known “Why?” found in the Bible came from God’s only Son. The victim of a brutal crime himself, Jesus asked his Father, “Why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46) You know what answer he got? The same one we get most of the time. Silence. Not a word. This was Jesus...the only perfect being to ever slip on a pair of sandals...crying out “Why?” and he got nothing. The reason there was no answer? We won’t know that “Why?” either, at least on this side of eternity. <br><br>Centreville is in mourning today. Not our Centerville, but Centreville, VA. This was the hometown of the shooter and at least one victim. The residents of this Virginia town of about 50,000 people who know the family of the shooter say they are a very friendly, unassuming, quiet people. They too, along with the rest of the country, are shocked at the events that were carried out by the hands of one of their own. Todays “Why’s?” may never be answered, and even if they could be, the end results unfortunately would still be the same. If your life is not right with God, you had better get it that way. Encourage those around you to do the same. Tomorrow’s “Why’s” might come from the Centerville with the TN at the end rather than the VA, and they might involve you.<br><br>Go the extra mile - Devin<br>