On Osama and the Gospel

I don’t normally get political on here, and that’s intentional. Not because I don’t have opinions, or because I’m afraid to express them, but because I started this blog to preserve memories and “journal” our family life. I didn’t/don’t ever want it to turn into a place for angry debate – there are plenty of websites you could go to for that.

Having said that, I tend to process things best with words. And this happens to be the place where a lot of those words end up. So maybe I’ll regret posting this, but…here goes.

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Like pretty much every other American, I’ll probably never forget the moment my husband nudged me awake and whispered, “Hey. Wake up. They killed Osama bin Laden. Obama’s making a speech right now.” In my groggy state, I almost wondered if I was dreaming, although I had no idea why I’d ever dream up something like that.

But once I realized it was true, I had to ask myself – as a Christian, what is an appropriate response?

I mean, honestly? I was happy. This was a man who, directly or indirectly, is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people. The world is a better and safer place without him.

When I watched footage from September 11 or heard stories of people who received phone calls from their loved ones trapped in the World Trade Center, knowing their death was imminent and calling to tell their families how much they loved them, my heart burned with anger.

You don’t do something like that and just get a slap on the wrist. And our God is a God of justice. He hates sin. Right?

But, of course, God isn’t just a God of justice, He’s also a God of mercy. And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that were it not for His grace, I’d be spending eternity in hell with the Hitler’s and Osama’s of this world.

My sin, though not equally damning in an earthly court, holds for me the same eternal implications as Osama bin Laden’s. The only difference is that the blood of Christ and His righteousness have been credited to my account. In the end, what ultimately sent Osama to hell wasn’t the murder of thousands, but rather the hardening of his heart towards the work of Christ on the cross.

Honestly, in my pride, that’s a little tough to swallow, but it’s true.

So…back to the original question – what is an appropriate response?

I do think it appropriate to celebrate the death of a very wicked man. God gave him the same opportunity as me to turn from his sin and repent, and though we can’t be absolutely certain, all indications are that he did not. God is patient, but our days are numbered, and He will require justice in the end.

The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death
Proverbs 14:32

The wicked plot against the righteous
   and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
   for he knows their day is coming.
Psalm 37:12-13

But apart from that, I think my response should overwhelmingly be one of humility and thankfulness. Did Osama get what he deserved? AB-SO-LUTELY. But he also got what I deserved, apart from the grace of God.

If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,
   Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, 
   Psalm 130:3-4

That’s something to rejoice about.