Refusing to Party

Last night I received a text from a friend, but I didn't get it until very very late.  It simply stated, "did you hear the announcement tonight? Osama Bin Laden is dead!"

I don't watch TV hardly EVER and for good reason (in my opinion).  But anyway, I skipped over to my facebook just to see what people would be saying.  It really broke my heart.  I don't know why but I just couldn't REJOICE and sing praises and shout victory! over a man's death!

I still can't.  Now I actually even feel more strongly about it.  He was our "enemy" in America and did/lead some impossibly cruel and horrid acts of violence on our soil, yes.  But, the same God that created me, created Him.  The same God that said I was created in His image, also created this man in His image.

Sin entered the world long ago. I am a sinner. I feel like I can resonate with Paul when he says that "...of these I am the worst..." Many would say Osama Bin Laden is "of the worst," too, but I remember that the Bible says that if you've broken part of the law then you've broken the WHOLE law.  I therefore, am in the same exact boat as he.  A sinner--one LOVED deeply by my Savior.

I don't know about any of you, but I didn't personally have a conversation with OBL before he was killed.  I have no knowledge of whether or not he knew the One True God and desired to have fellowship with him.  I can say that based on his history (but you could say the same about me prior to my life change) I have an inclination of whether or not that was true, but I don't know his heart.  I know that One that does.  So I do not judge him to hell.  That is not my job.  In fact, based off what I know the heart of God is, I know that God does not rejoice that ANYONE be there, separated from their Maker.  NO ONE.  And I won't either.  Whether that be is eternal place or not, I refuse to join in the "party" of many of my friends, family, and fellow Americans.

^{Proverbs 24:} 

¹⁷ Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
   when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
¹⁸ or the LORD will see and disapprove
   and turn his wrath away from them.

I hope that more will stand up and pray for his family and those that knew/know him personally and that if they do not know the Love of God, that they would come to know him.  Love and pray for your enemy!  

Osama will stand before the Judgement Seat just as will I.  He will have to give account for his actions, as will I.  The Lord is able to forgive, if he asked, even for what he did.  Even for what I did.  How great is that?  That is something I can party about for eternity! I will hop on that bandwagon any day.  Let's celebrate things worth celebrating.  The risen Christ we celebrated just days ago...now that's a death (because of the resurrection) that I can rejoice in!

As a disclaimer, because some of you might want/need it (and it's true), I do feel very blessed to live in America, I am so thankful that we have men and women who fight everyday that we might have freedom and safety, and I have not forgotten about the men and women and children who lost their lives on 9/11.  It was a tragedy like we've never experienced and it changed us forever...let's just not let it change us in ways contrary to what the Lord has called us.  Let it unite us and fortify us, but not turn into evil ourselves.

Officially stepping down off my soapbox...