Reflections on the death of Osama

This past Sunday the world received news of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Just the mention of that name causes many emotions to rise to the surface. Personally, as a Canadian living, studying, and working in the United States on that fateful day in September I have many different reflections of 9-11! 

The first one is of entering the university where I was the associate campus pastor and having people rush towards me with horrified faces and tears... pulling me towards the large screen TV where I saw the horrific and unbelievable images that are still easily recalled today. The second image that will never leave me is standing with a few hundred students at midnight by the flag pole on our campus praying for everyone involved and for God's peace and rule to reign through this terrible incident. As we stood together, praying, crying, and comforting each other every 4 or 5 minutes we heard the very recognizable sound of the Air Force Reserves F-16 fighter planes leaving the nearby airport to patrol the skies and coastline of California. The third reflection from that day that is etched in my memory forever is the image of my young daughter crawling into Mommy and Daddy's bed with wide open eyes and fear etched in her tiny little brow. This fear lasted for almost 3 full months as she tried to deal with the images and the fear that surrounded us during that time in our lives. Still today as a teenager she finds it incredibly difficult to watch anything that reminds her of that fateful day!

So as I reflect on this latest news I have many mixed emotions that remind me of the reality that we are created with emotions and that we have emotional attachments to many of the events and proceedings that intersect our lives! I guess that is why there have been an abundance of different postings on the social medias of our world the past 72 hours. I believe that many of these postings of various assortments from rejoicing, sorrow, anger, and relief all reflect the reality that we each deal with the events of our lives and world in different ways.

Having said that, I guess this raises a very important question and that is... as Christians how are we to react to the news of the death of one of the world's most notorious terrorists?

Well... I have to say right up front that I don't have all the answers to this question... I am still considering my own personal response. BUT here are some of the passages from God's WORD that I am pondering as I work my way through this... I share them with you in the hope that they may help you think biblically through this major event in our world today.

"Do you think I enjoy seeing an evil person die?” asks the Sovereign Lord. “No, I would rather see him repent and live. 24 “But if a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing all the evil, disgusting things that evil people do, will he go on living? No! None of the good he did will be remembered. He will die because of his unfaithfulness and his sins. 25 “But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn’t right.’ Listen to me, you Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn’t right? It is your way that isn’t right. 26 When a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing evil and then dies, he dies because of the evil he has done. 27 When someone evil stops sinning and does what is right and good, he saves his life. 28 He realizes what he is doing and stops sinning, so he will certainly not die, but go on living. 29 And you Israelites say, ‘What the Lord does isn’t right.’ You think my way isn’t right, do you? It is your way that isn’t right. 30 “Now I, the Sovereign Lord, am telling you Israelites that I will judge each of you by what you have done. Turn away from all the evil you are doing, and don’t let your sin destroy you. 31 Give up all the evil you have been doing, and get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? 32 I do not want anyone to die,” says the Sovereign Lord. “Turn away from your sins and live.” ~Ezekiel 18:23-32 GNT

In this passage that is often quoted around social media circles the prophet Ezekiel reveals that God is a God of love, but he is also a God of perfect justice. God's perfect love causes Him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and repent and turn back to Him. However, Ezekiel also reminds us that those who willfully choose to sin against God and His created order will face judgment either in this life or in eternity. 

HOWEVER... what this passage also reminds us is something I find missing in most posts regarding this passage and that is this... God takes NO joy in the deaths of those who willfully sin against Him and humanity. He would prefer that they would turn back to Him and have eternal life!

Here is a second of many passages that I am working through on this reflective journey of seeing our God in the events of our world...

“Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and market places,21 calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together: 22 “Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy pouring scorn on knowledge? Will you never learn? 23 Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. 24 I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. 25 You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. 26 So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will mock you when terror strikes- 27 when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. 28 Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. 29 You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord. 30 You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you. 31 So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick. 32 Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern. 33 But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid.”  ~Proverbs 1:20-33 GNT

In this section in the opening proverb in the Old Testament collection of wisdom, God reveals the challenges... the bitter fruit of living for ourselves or for our own selfish ideals. The consequences of persisting in rebellious independence are very evident in this passage.  

HOWEVER... once again the final verse reminds us that... God would rather us choose through the freedom He has given us to listen and repent from our evil ways and return to Him rather than facing the consequences of our rebellion!

So... how do these passages help think through this most recent event. Well, personally I think they help me to understand that God takes no joy in the death of anyone BUT there is also REAL consequences for rebellion and the chasing of our own selfish endeavors, especially those that involve the destruction or the oppression of the innocent. Osama Bin Laden, in life and perhaps in death caused so much fear and death as the leader of Al-Quaida in this world and that reality does not go unnoticed by the God of this universe. 

May this help you think through this and react according to His will and purposes...

Rev Trev