Osama Bin Laden is dead

This blog post is primarily for me to have a recorded memory of the events of the past 24 hours. Facebook posts do not last long at all and can be difficult to find. This entry will also make it into my online journals (yes, I have more than one. I am a bit anal about these types of things).

The joy of Dish network is that the national media does not break into all regular programming on most stations. So from what I can gather it was about 35 minutes after the new broke that I finally received a text from someone telling me all I was missing. It was one of the rare times I was on my computer but didn't have facebook open. So I responded to the text, not quite believing what I was reading, finished what I was doing and then switched channels on the TV. I sat in stunned silence as NBC, CBS and ABC confirmed what my friend had texted to me. Osama Bin Laden was in fact dead. I looked at Jason and said "Are you watching this?" It was clear by his reaction that he was not because he looked up from his laptop, glanced at the TV and then looked back down at his laptop. Almost immediately he did a double take at the TV and I could see that the shock of the reality had hit him.

Al-qaeda began sometime in the late 80's if I am not mistaken so this is a terrorist group I have heard about for much of my life. On and off, not always in the spot light but still there, still present. The name and face of Osama Bin Laden was etched into my memory and the memory of millions of Americans and most of the rest of the world on September 11, 2001, the day "the world stopped turning." And for the past 9 years and 8 months we have lived with consequences of his actions and the actions of those who followed him. I wish I could believe that his death would end this terrorist group. But to believe in that would be a fool's errand and would be putting my hope in a lie. I have no doubt that Al-qaeda will continue to maim, mutilate, and harm any and everyone they want to. Fear, insecurity, hatred and violence will continue through this group even without him as their leader.

I have heard lots of talk about justice being done and I find myself unable to accept this man's death as justice for the 3000 lives lost on 09/11/2001, not to mention the thousands of lives lost prior to that date because of the work that Al-qaeda did. And there are thousands more that were lost since that time. The death of one evil man cannot provide justice for those deaths. In my mind there is nothing that will provide that justice, ever. I have heard the same talk about revenge and I feel the same way there. No amount of torture could be extracted on him on this earth that would fulfill my human desire for justice and revenge.

And then I listen to the political side of this, you know the talk I a referring to, right? Whose administration should get credit for this? People taking shots at the current president for taking the credit. People taking shots at the previous administration for "not getting him." This man's death was not the work of one president, one administration or one anything. There is more going on here than anyone, including this administration, can see.

I am not surprised by the reaction that our country is having, though I am saddened to see the reaction of those whom call themselves Christ followers. It is exactly what I expected to be the reaction. "USA! USA!" "Proud to be an American." "Woohoo! Way to go America!" And truthfully there is a part of me that wants to participate in those cheers.

But I have not been called to be an American and I have not chosen to put my citizenship in America first. My citizenship is in a different Kingdom and I am feeling the struggle to be part of that Kingdom rather than rejoice in my American citizenship.

The only thing I can hold on to in times like this is that there is a God who has provided a different way to live. Fear, insecurity, hatred and violence will continue, but God provides a way to have courage (Psalm 27:1), security (Romans 8:38,39), love (1 John 4:16) and peace (John 14:27). Justice and revenge need to happen but God has promised that He will handle that (Psalm 89:14). The fact is it really didn't matter who the President of the United States was on the day that Osama Bin Laden died, just as much as it didn't matter the who the ruler of Monaco was on that day. God's sovereignty mattered more (Job 14:5). And while my desire is to stand along side my fellow Americans and cheer, I cannot do so (Romans 12:2).

A man, created in the image of God (Gen 1:27) by God (Psalm 139:13), died this week presumably not knowing God in a way that could save him (John 15:1-9). This was not God's desire for this man (1 Timothy 2:3,4) for if it was He had no reason to send Christ (John 3:16). Therefore if I rejoice in this man's death (Proverbs 24:17) I am not being faithful to what I claim I want to be (Romans 12:1,2). That being the case, I will continue to fight the urge to join my fellow Americans and instead purposefully pray for my enemies (Matthew 5:44), pray for my leaders (1 Timothy 2:1,2), and pray for the men and women who choose to give the ultimate sacrifice (John 15:3).