God loves Osama

I am arrogant, I am weak, I am perpetually plagued by self-righteousness.  I do not claim to have anything together in my life.  And whatever good witness that I give in this world is a direct result of God's grace in my life, and NOT a result of something that I did or am doing.  It's a miracle, plain and simple.  I am crawling through this life trying to make it to heaven. Yet, I crawl confident that God will accomplish His good work in me, eventually, that one day I will wash up on His shore, naked and torn to shreds, nothing good of my own, so that He gets all the Glory and Honor of a life well lived. 

As we sort out our thoughts on the fateful demise of Osama bin Laden, let's not forget that God never rejoices when a child of His is lost.  His mercy far outweighs His wrath, and ultimately the cross and love and forgiveness wins.  Had Osama repented in his dying breath, God could (and would) forgive him. It would go against His nature to do anything else.

Now, my fallen nature wants, so bad, to go off right now on the behavior that I saw displayed last night on social networks by professed Christians, but I'm not.  I could speak about how wrong on so many levels, it is for us to say in any way that Blessed John Paul II intercession had anything to do with the death of a man (see fall of communism), but I'm not.  I will muster up some self-control and simply offer some biblical principles that I myself am adopting.

First, before we, as Christians, go pointing fingers and sharing our opinions, I believe it wise to take a hard look at ourselves and whole-heartedly adopt whatever virtue that we believe is lacking in others. Let's leave the hating to non-believers, let's love first.  Secondly, I believe that we should spend at least the same amount of time in prayer as we do sharing our opinions on social networks or blogs.  Prayers for our culture, our nation, our soldiers, our own families can never be underestimated.  Remember that God desires us more than he desires to use us.  Prayer might not change situations in our world, but it always changes the one's who are praying.

Lastly, let's not forget that God is accomplishing His plan with or without us.  His Son will eventually reign over all that stood against good.  Let's choose today to open ourselves to His plans, join together in an authentic brand of Christianity that loves neighbor and enemies alike, and watch as His name and fame make headlines.

I love you.