Mourning Osama

  Today, the world has found out that Osama Bin Laden is dead.

America is taking credit for his death.

Americans, Christian and non are rejoicing in his death and glad that this man has passed away.

  I am not so quick to rejoice.  #1, I am skeptical that it was actually him that died and #2 if it was him that died, what is there to be happy about?  A man who did not know Christ died.  In my worldview, this means that Osama Bin Laden is now in Hell.  This does not bring me happiness, nor does it bring me comfort.

  Some would question my patriotism.  Some would say I am weak.  Others would wonder why I am being so "religious" about a "political" issue.  I don't care what you think. 

  I am sad that a man who had extreme potential to be fervent for the right thing, had become so painfully blinded by the wrong thing and gave his life for a lie.  As followers of Jesus, who claim to love Jesus should this not burden our hearts?  As people, even Christians are dancing on the grave of an eternally condemned man, does that not bring pain to your heart?  Does the word "lost" mean nothing any more?  Or are we happy and rejoicing that we have found "vengeance"?

  I am not for what Osama did in life.  I knew people who had family members die on 9-11, so I am not even numb to the realities of the devastation this man caused in life.  On that day, many died who did not know Christ and they too suffer the same fate as Osama.

  We can get into a Rob Bell-esque discussion of why would God allow Hell, but this is not the time or place.  I believe the Bible and I trust what Jesus says about Hell and it is that trust that makes me sad for Osama. 

  Have we been praying for his conversion or his death?  Have we stopped to think of the implications of a man such as that sold out to the cause of Christ?  A man who inherits millions and his sole desire is to serve his god in the way he knows how...could you imagine if he were sold out to Christ?  The implications are far reaching.  Yet most of us slip into what we "deserve" and we rejoice at the death of a fellow man.

  I am wrestling with this.  We fight for this type of justice and we rejoice when we receive the justice we've been begging for.  The odd thing is, we are all just as bad as Osama Bin Laden.  Left to ourselves we could all be radical murderers, couldn't we?  We say in church we all deserve death for our sins, but we wouldn't want that justice, would we?  God has extended great mercy and grace to us, shouldn't we do the same?

  Just think with me for one second.  What if, instead of cheering at the death of Osama, we held a National vigil of mourning for him.

  Crazy, I know.  However, what would that say to the world about Jesus?  I think it would shock many and cause them to see Jesus as he is, merciful and loving.  Do you think it would help change the way in which people see American Christians?  I think for sure it would.

  Sadly, this won't happen.   Too many of us are selfish and want to rejoice in his death, without feeling guilty.  We want to relish the victory we as Americans have so long strived for: Osama dead.  If we think this death is going to stem the rising tide of terror, we are foolish.  Osama's story will only spur on more zealots like him and his death will drive them to the top to get known as Osama was.

  I know I am going to get blasted for this post, but like I said before, I don't care.  I care about the lost.  I care about people coming to know Jesus and no death, no matter who it is, is worth rejoicing over unless they knew Jesus and Jesus knew them.

  Let us change the way we in the Western world see the world and ask Christ for his eyes, so we can see as he does.  Today, I believe he mourns yet another death of an eternally condemned man.

The Gospel of Luke

I've been going through the Gospel of Luke as my devotional time. I've been reading through and finding myself shocked at how relevant it is to my life.



So much so, that I wished I would have started reading this close to a year ago. I found myself not really loving those who were opposing me. I found myself beating others up with my mouth instead of heaping love upon them by word and deed.



Seeing how Jesus calls us to live is both convicting as well as eye-opening. We say we are Christians, but sometimes we forget how Radical Jesus was and we don't always live out the radical life He called us to.



When looking at Jesus this closely and re-reading His teachings, I am blown away at the life Jesus lived and called us to live as well. This life is about so much more than ourselves...yet I know at least for myself I tend to forget that little fact.



I live my life for myself, seeking what I want, not seeking what others want, or if I'm honest, not always what God wants either.



Here's an example from Luke 6:30-36 that hit me:



Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." Was what hit me pretty hard as well as some good Biblical commentary from Darrell L. Bock. Here is some of Bock's commentary:

"It is love for loves sake, which is why it is so commendable and distinctive" He then quotes Second Clement...this is the stuff that should make us sit up and listen. This is the quote:
"For when they [un-saved] hear from us [the saved] that God says. 'It is no credit to you if you love them that love you, but it is a credit to you if you love your enemies and those who hate you,'when they hear this, they wonder at this extraordinary goodness; but when they see that we not only do not love those who hate us, but do not even love those who love us, they laugh us to scorn, and the name is blasphemed". (Luke 1:1-9:50 pg. 599)

I know for a FACT that I have failed in the act of loving my brothers, I've slandered Christian brothers and sisters with my tongue. In light of this small verse that seems so self-explanatory... I have blasphemed God and His word by not only measuring up to the higher standard but falling short of the lowest standard!

How can we love radically the world who hates us if we can't even love radically those who love us?

God is calling me deeper and deeper into my junk and calling it out of my life.

"Please God, I pray that I can love with a radial love that is not of my own making but only the stuff of your Spirit within me! Give me the grace and mercy I need in order to love out loud, forgive much and live a life of love for those you love!"