did you hear??? osama bin laden is dead.
the news broke around 10:40 pm last night and i couldn't have been more shocked at the celebratory remarks being made by facebookers and tweeters alike. people were thrilled that "justice had finally been served" and that this man who had caused so much pain in the lives of american families had been caught and put to death.
my humble opinion...we are celebrating the wrong victory.
the real victory over evil was accomplished long ago by God himself in the person of jesus of nazareth. this same jesus that died for his enemies, battled the power that lies behind the evil that is manifested in this world on the cross. that power is the one we continue to do battle with today. it is the power of death.
the only way to defeat this power of death is by embracing the power of Christ's resurrection.
when christians forget that the war we wage is not against each other, but against the systemic evil that began with a rebellion against the Creator, our hunger for revenge grows stronger and stronger with each new terrorist.
now, it seems our appetite for blood is never-ending. in case we had forgotten, it was announced 66 years ago yesterday that adolf hitler was dead. there will always be a mass-murderer taking innocent life. in fact, genocide is still alive and well around the world as we speak and murder continues to run rampant in our own cities. what we celebrate today will resurrect tomorrow. for the evil that lies behind all the pain cannot be defeated with guns or bombs, but by the power of the cross.
may we remember revenge is not ours to take and that the blood that was shed for you and me was also shed for osama bin laden. may we love and pray for those who destroy our bodies that they too may come to know the life we have found in Christ.
ephesians 6:12 "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
hebrews 2:14-15 "since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."
-dave-
5 opinion(s):
Again...thanks. Grace & Peace...
thank you for this Dave, I was feeling unsure about how to feel about the news...but your words are helping to keep me grounded.
I don't think Jesus didn't any fistbumps when Judas died. I think He was grieved to the core of His being.
I'm not going to comment on the government's decision to seek and destroy Bin Laden. The government isn't a disciple of Christ. If they felt it was a necessary step, so be it. I'm not impressed either way.
But I would have been very impressed if our country responded in sorrow instead of celebration. Sorrow that a man was killed. Sorrow that we live in such a culture that terrorism and revenge are endlessly cycled from one generation to another.
That's my biggest problem with "wrath-seekers" as you know. Not that I don't believe in God's holiness and justice or even His wrath. We've talked at length about this and you know that I do. But the fact that they seem to enjoy it so much is troublesome to say the least.
The most curious thing in all of this is those that are using the soldiers currently in our Armed Forces as a shield to excuse their hatred. "That's what they're fighting for...", "Don't you think they're happy about this...", "Why do you hate all of those fighting for our freedom; you know, the thing you and I won't do..." to name a few. A star NFL player from the Steelers even got slammed for asking why we should be rejoicing at the death of another human. All of this is truly mind-dizzying to me, and if I were to be totally honest, has me wondering exactly what I believe and how this thing should make me feel.
Am I relieved we finally got the guy who claimed to have masterminded the killing of 3000 of my fellow Americans? Yeah, I am. Does it make me happy? Yeah, a little. Even with those answers, am I sad that a guy who says he hates how I believe in my God is dead? Yeah, I am. And am I sad that if this guy really believed in his heart-of-hearts those things he preached won't make it to my heaven? Yeah, I am.
So where's that leave me? Where do I/we go from here? I don't have a clue, but I like the conversation and where it takes our brains. Thanks for your post, Dave. It's got me thinking.
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