Well, plans of working fervently on my calculus ended when I heard news of Osama bin Laden's death, and God started tugging on my heart. I needed to talk to Him.
Today is a day of celebration for America, but one of sadness for the Kingdom of God. I am a citizen of heaven before I am of the United States. (Not trying to say there is sadness or hurt in heaven, know that's not true.) But the brokenness of God's heart right now leaves me so unsettled. Jesus is not rejoicing. Death is supposed to not only be sad for us on earth, but also a time to rejoice for people's souls crossing into an eternity in the presence of God. It is so heart-wrenching that bin Laden did not have a relationship with the Man who makes that possible.
I read a series on what breaks God's heart. Some of the things were:
Unrequited love- "As a husband, God greatly loves the church, and as a wife, we break God’s heart when we refuse to return His love by delighting in Him and Him alone." The fact that Osama did not return God's outstanding love breaks God's heart.
Death-"As Jesus looked over the crowd of mourners that day the Bible gives one of its simplest and most profound statements, “Jesus wept.” I’ve often wondered why Jesus wept over Lazarus death, especially when He knew that in just a few moments He would raise Lazarus from the grave. It almost seems like one of those moments when He would say, “Why are you weeping? Behold the power of God!” But instead we find the Savior, God in the flesh, bursting into tears and weeping over the death of a friend..Death always hurts, it is always heart wrenching and it is one of those pains that is so great that it broke the Saviors heart. As Christians, we live in a wonderful place where death no longer has victory over us." I'm so thankful that death doesn't have victory over me as a Christian. Osama, however, was not a Christian.. Another soul lost breaks God's heart.
Sheep without a shepherd-"Sheep without a Shepherd break God’s heart, but what rejoices God’s heart is when his people exercise compassion and care for these sheep, especially 'the least of these.'" Osama bin Laden, on every American's list, was definitely one of the least important people in the world. Important to capture & kill, yes. But very unimportant to show God's love to. If you had crossed him (I know that's a stretch), but IF you had, what would you have done? Assuming he wasn't trying to kill you or something, just there. Supposing you had the means, would you have tried to capture him? Get all the glory for finding America's Most Wanted? Would you have tried to kill him? I believe many people, myself included, would've. Justify yourself by saying that you're saving future casualties from him, instead of saving HIM! Honestly, I can't say I wouldn't have done the same, had I the chance. But honestly, is that what Jesus would have done? If Osama were Jesus, what would you have done? Whatever you do for the "least of these" is what you do for Jesus. Just the same, whatever you don't do for the "least of these" is what you don't do for Jesus. Osama's sins were no more disgusting than yours or mine. The lack of restoration and intervention in his individual life breaks God's heart.
Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours!
I understand & agree with celebrating justice, security, and God's protection! I am so so thankful for our troops, and SO thankful for the peace that God has given the families' of 9-11 victims. I serve a just God. I am very thankful that Al Qaeda took a blow in all this, and had the rug pulled out from under them. God, I'm sure saved many lives by taking bin Laden. I just don't understand celebrating an unsaved man's death. I feel regret that he probably never felt. I feel remorse for his sins that he probably never felt.
Proverbs 24:17 says "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls" and Ezekiel 33:11 says "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked..."
I find comfort, as an American right now. But I'm a Christian always. An American on earth. There's such discomfort at Christians' failure to reach out to a broken man filled supposedly with such evil. Yes, he was the bad guy. But that never stopped Jesus from reaching out. Many evil men have turned from their ways and accepted God. I just wish he had done the same.
I'm just rambling now...my point is, although I have such great respect for our troops, for our poor 9-11 victims, for all the people bin Laden wronged in his lifetime...I'm so happy for the peace & closure they must be feeling right now...I just can't bring myself to be happy about about his death, because it was not only physical, but also spiritual.
I pray that God breaks our hearts for what breaks His, and pushes us out of our comfort zones to reach out to the "least of these." That God gives us courage to approach the unapproachable. That He allows us to see the world as Him in the flesh, and the fervency to act now. I pray we never Jesus for granted, and always take advantage of the opportunities He gives us to further His kingdom.
Although Osama, another lost soul is dead, I rejoice in the fact that
JESUS IS ALIVE!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment