Perfect Peace In A Tragic World

Perfect Peace in a Tragic World

Isaiah 26.3

We have come together this morning to Worship God. Most of us know the events of this past Monday at VT.

Many people, and maybe even a few in here this morning, wonder, how can we worship a God who allows things like this to happen.

I want this service this morning to be meaningful to each and every person here.

I want us to come away from this sanctuary, with our questions about the events in VA answered this morning.

April 16, 2007, a day when 33 people lost their lives, countless others had their lives changed forever.

The relative safety and peace on this college campus, has changed the way colleges do business forever.

Just as 911 has changed the way Americans have lived their lives forever.

Gone for many now is the American dream. Gone for many is the hope for children and grandchildren, because of the tragic loss of life.

The statement that it can’t happen here has become a paradox in itself, because it has happened here.

Preacher, this college attack and 911 were hundreds of miles away.

That is very true, but the results of both of these attacks, has been felt around the world.

Since 911 we have been a nation living in troubled times, and this past Monday is just another evidence of the trouble that our nation is going to have to endure.

We are living in times that are troubled by the threat of another attack on our soil.

Times troubled by an economy that is so dependent upon foreign countries.

Times troubled by the thought of sending our children to school and not knowing what the day is going to hold.

Troubled times for a troubled nation.

Why so much trouble?

**Because over 40 years ago we took God out of our classrooms. Since that time, we have attempted to take God out of our Government and out of every facet of this culture. The result is: what was once one of the most devout, committed, and spiritually sensitive societies on the planet has now become a culture of corruption. Anytime you take away “a thing”, it creates a void, and thus a need is born. Because of the laws of natural and man, when a void is created there will always be “something else” to come and fill that void. From my experience, observation, study, and belief, when you take away the goodness of God, There exists only one other force in the universe which dares to fills that void. That is the force of evil. Today, in the events at VA Tech as well as dozens of less publicized such events, as well as the events of 911; we are witnesses of the Biblical principle we call “sowing and reaping”. My prayer is this, “God, be merciful to us and give us one more opportunity to right this sinking ship.”(1)**

So the question is, how do we regain the peace that we had once before?

The answer to that burning question lies in the scriptures. It lies in the word of God.

It is not a secret, it is not hidden in some secret code in the bible that many would have you to believe.

It is as plain as the flag on the pole, what we need to do.

Too many people have lost focus of what is needed in order to have peace.

Our country is continually focused on the tragedy that rocks our country from day to day.

Not a day goes by that some mention of tragedy is not made on the evening news, or in the daily papers.

I am not saying that we do not need to remember what happened or those that lost their lives.

Nor do we need to forget who perpetrated those tragedies upon our nation.

But in order for us to have true peace in this nation, and in our lives; one thing needs to happen, and it needs to happen quickly.

It is a promise of God, that we need to rely on in order to have this peace. But as with all promises there is one condition.

This condition is what we must do to have peace. Isaiah 26:3 tells us “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

In order for us to have peace, all we need to do is focus our minds on God.

When we focus our minds on God, then along with that focus comes trust in him and his power.

That is all we as individuals need to experience a peace that the word of God calls perfect.

What we as a nation needs to do then is to focus on God and trust in him during these times.