Last night Twitter erupted with news of Osama bin Laden's death. Traditional media soon followed, and much of the country likely tuned in while the president announced the special forces operation that resulted in the bin Laden's death and the retrieval of his body.
I remember when the planes hit on 9/11, and I remember being terrified at the time because my dad made frequent trips to the World Trade Center for business. He was okay, it turned out, though he lost old friends and colleagues, as did many others that day. So it's understandable that victims and our nation as a whole would feel a sense of relieve at last night's news. Osama bin Laden's death doesn't bring anybody back but, having been exorcised from this earth, he can do no more harm. So I'm not, in all honesty, sitting here wishing he was still alive. But I'm not celebrating his death, either. Osama bin Laden was a man of terribly evil intent, but he was a fallen and sinful man separated from God, as much in need of saving as me.
I only celebrate the death of one man, and it's not because He's dead. Rather it's because of why He died. And because He didn't stay dead. I celebrate Christ's death and resurrection every week when I take communion at church because it's the only death that actually restores anything - actually provides relief and healing.
So I'm not going to be some dude going around trying to scold people who celebrate the death of bin Laden. I'm sympathetic to their revelry, and I don't miss the man. But I'm not going to participate in cheering one person, made in God's image, lost to sin and death.
I remember when the planes hit on 9/11, and I remember being terrified at the time because my dad made frequent trips to the World Trade Center for business. He was okay, it turned out, though he lost old friends and colleagues, as did many others that day. So it's understandable that victims and our nation as a whole would feel a sense of relieve at last night's news. Osama bin Laden's death doesn't bring anybody back but, having been exorcised from this earth, he can do no more harm. So I'm not, in all honesty, sitting here wishing he was still alive. But I'm not celebrating his death, either. Osama bin Laden was a man of terribly evil intent, but he was a fallen and sinful man separated from God, as much in need of saving as me.
I only celebrate the death of one man, and it's not because He's dead. Rather it's because of why He died. And because He didn't stay dead. I celebrate Christ's death and resurrection every week when I take communion at church because it's the only death that actually restores anything - actually provides relief and healing.
So I'm not going to be some dude going around trying to scold people who celebrate the death of bin Laden. I'm sympathetic to their revelry, and I don't miss the man. But I'm not going to participate in cheering one person, made in God's image, lost to sin and death.