17 Apr, 2008
Vigils, Silence Mark 1-Year Anniversary Of Va. Tech Shootings
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Classes were not held in Blacksburg on Wednesday and special events marked the one-year anniversary of the shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech. Thirty-three people died, including the student gunman Seung-Hui Cho, in a shooting rampage on April 16, 2007. The names of the 32 faculty and students killed by Cho are carved in a stone memorial on the drill field. There were two large memorials at the location Wednesday.
At 10:30 a.m., the names of each of the victims was read aloud. At 8:15 p.m., thousands attended a candlelight vigil.
Some of those killed one year ago...
Ross Abdallah, Alameddine Christopher, James Bishop, Ryan Clark, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, Daniel Perez Cueva, Kevin Granata Caitlin Hammaren, Jeremy Herbstritt, Emily Jane Hilscher, Jarrett L. Lane, Matthew J. La Porte, Liviu Librescu, G.V. Loganathan, Daniel O'Neil, Juan Ramon Ortiz, Mary Karen Read, Reema J. Samaha
photos & story courtesy msnbc.msn.com, 4/16/08 & smh.com.au, 04/18/07
They are remembered...
Daniel 12:1-2 (NLT)
The Time of the End
“At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about the reality of eternity for everyone?
First of all, look at the insight from the study notes found in Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE:
12:1 Great suffering is in store for God's people throughout the years ahead. This way of describing the future is also used by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 30:7) and Jesus (Matthew 24:21ff). Yet the great suffering is tempered by a great promise of hope for true believers. 12:2 This is a clear reference to the resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, although the eternal destiny of each will be quite different...This reference to a bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost was a sharp departure from the common belief of the Israelites at that time.
These prophetic words remind us that everyone has an eternal soul. Anyone who receives God's gift of salvation (forgiveness for our sins) through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son Jesus will have their name written in God's "book of life". Those who do not become followers of Christ will not be rescued from eternal separation from God in hell.
Yeah....sobering...and cause for joy for followers of Christ!
At this moment, the loving, living God knows whose name is written in His book of eternal life in Heaven.
God created and loved everyone who died at the Virginia Tech campus one year ago... His heart breaks for the lost.... His arms welcomed His children to Heaven... He continues to comfort the grieving... He continues to use this tragedy to draw people to Jesus...
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our story?
- If your name is written in God's "book of eternal life", take a moment right now to thank God and imagine what it will be like to live forever in Heaven with Jesus and all of God's family.
- If you are not a follower of Jesus, you can become one right now. Let God know that you realize your sin keeps you from Him. Thank Him that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and that He rose from the dead to prove that He alone is the Savior! Ask Jesus to be your Savior. Tell Him that you want to follow Him every day and live to please Him. (If this is you, email us at 3Story.org so that we can help you in your new relationship with God.)
- Read Matthew 24 and Revelation 21 to learn more about the future of everyone - those whose names are written in the "Lamb's Book of Life" and those whose names are not.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Continue to pray that the families and friends of those connected to the Virginia Tech tragedy will experience God's comfort and the hope that is found only in Jesus Christ.
- Ask Jesus to give you great wisdom and sensitivity in talking to your friends and family who need Jesus. It may be very difficult for them to hear a "sermon" about the eternal reality of every soul while thinking about stories like the Virginia Tech murders. This is the time to focus on God's compassion, grace and answers found in Christ. Learn their stories and share your story.
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