Christian Reactions to OBL's Death

I have heard people make the connection between Sept, 11, 2001 and May 8, 2011 by saying we will never forget where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news of both events. The first date was met with horror, disbelief, anger, rage, sadness, resolve and grief. The news of OBL's death evoked joy, relief, euphoria, hope (for more peace), and regret that it took so long. All of this led to fist pumping, spontaneous celebrations at ballgames, in taverns, and in the streets. The USA's no. 1 enemy had been destroyed which prompted the impromptu  parties.

My own immediate reaction was a shout of "whoopee, we got him!" My next reaction followed on its heals with a more somber question: "should I yelp for joy at the death of a human being, who from all my understanding of God and His word is now in hell for eternity?" I answered my question with polarized clarity: yes and no. "Yes," because a conduit of demonic evil was eliminated. OBL was a mass murderer, a radical religious fanatic with no compassion for any but those that fit his narrow definitions of proper belief and action. He was no friend to any religion but his own brand and was obviously murderously intolerant of any he believed unfit. The world is better off without him. Period.

So why any sympathy or feeling of misgivings at OBL death at all? Actually, there were few for the man himself. A feeling of melancholy did waft over my soul at the whole thought of war and death. God didn't intend for OBL to be the way he was. He made choices. He saw things he didn't like and acted and reacted with evil. His ego got in the way. I have done all these things myself to some degree. OBL obviously had intelligence and leadership capabilities. These qualities were wasted unless you view things from a demonic standpoint of hatred for anyone not like you. The loss of such potential for good is saddening but this was lost long before a bullet brought an end to his life.  Ahh, what could have been...

 And honestly, I was somewhat repulsed by some of the reaction in America at the news of OBL's death. Understandable to a point, but death and war and the crafts we have honed to win at these are serious. I remember the gut wrenching agony of seeing the dismembered bodies of our servicemen dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia and the celebrations that were spawned by that horror in the Arab world. I also recall the street dancing and flag burning in radical Islam enclaves after 9-11. Some in the US looked no different, I'm sure, to the Muslim community when those news tapes were shown on their tv's last Monday. I guess I'd like to believe we are different and we don't gloat over death, even the death of evil. We do away with it and move on quietly. Let the SEALs clank a glass in their private remembrance for a job well done with the thanks of a grateful nation. Then they as a team and we as a nation move on to the next assignment. We do this because we know that even though OBL is dead, evil is not. It will have to be faced again.

So what is the next assignment? I have no authority over the SEALS, the nation, or any person to give them one. Let me just tell you some assignments I've made to myself.
One is to be humble in the face of evil, or, when I should prove victorious at some points, in the aftermath of victory. James 4:10 admonishes us to humility and Proverbs 27:21 reminds us that a man is tested by the praise he receives. Spiritual victories are hard fought (see the cross) and possible only by the grace of God--so be humble.
Another assignment is prayer. I need to remain vigilant in prayer for evil is real and present in this world. It affects all of us and even all of nature (Rom 3:23, Rom. 6:23, and Rom. 8:21-22.). I need to pray for the end of evil and the death of death. This only comes by the power of God's grace and love. All other battles against it fought by weapons forged by the hands of man will bring fleeting victories at best. In the recorded history of man, only seven years have passed without some of us in the world fighting with others. So be prayerful for our nation which has lost its way on so many levels. Freedom and justice cannot be secured nor maintained without a connection to righteousness. Pray for justice and freedom for the nations.

Related to prayer is another assignment--be evangelistic. We never know when our sharing with another human being about our faith in Christ might prevent all manners of evil down the road in that person's life. Jesus changes hearts. He transforms lives. He changes people's destiny from hell to heaven. Walking with Jesus in a relationship of faith brings peace, joy, and hope to a person's life for now and forever more. Did OBL ever hear the real salvation story of Jesus? Did he ever  really see Jesus or just another religion that he didn't like that he viewed as one needing to be eradicated for his to succeed? I don't know but I do know Jesus still saves. Pray and witness to the lost. You may prevent an Columbine, a 911, a divorce, a murder, a suicide or an empty life by sharing Jesus with another soul. We may not ever know now, but someday we will.

The last assignment I'll share today is this: be grateful. Be grateful that God sent His son to offer eternal life to those who trust in Him. Be grateful that God changes lives. Be grateful for His grace and truth. Be grateful for freedoms won and freedoms held. Be grateful to men and women who fight for us, pray for us, share Christ's truth with us and model grace and freedom for us. And be grateful that in the end, the living and true God revealed in Jesus-wins.

Cos