I Want to Know What Love Is…

In 1984 Foreigner released the “power ballad” that shares the title of this blog.  Last time, the question was asked, “What’s love got to do with it?”  In the song by Tina Turner, we are told that Love is nothing more than a “second hand emotion.”

As was mentioned before, our society is very confused in general as to what love is.  So many times the feelings of infatuation, attraction, and even lust are confused with love.  Certainly these emotions can be felt towardss the person that is the “object of our affection,” but these are the second hand emotions – and rather shallow ones at that.  In fact it has been said that researchers have discovered that “infatuation” only lasts about two years on average.

Therefore, love must go deeper than emotion.  The fact that infatuation and attraction are powerful forces cannot be denied.  They are real feelings that we often enjoy, and sometimes dread.  However, how far can these emotions take us?  If our definition of love only takes us to the level euphoria, as these do, then when will we be when we come down from that high?  Or, what will become of our relationships if they do not grow deeper?  What shall we do if our spouses are not as attractive to us twenty years after we “fell in love with them?  Or, what shall we do if we have more differences than similarities?  Shall we throw our hands up in the air and walk away in exasperation?  Shall we become embittered at our spouse because our marriage is not how we envisioned it?  It is our choice.  We can choose to be or to do those things that were just mentioned.  Really, who could blame us if we did?  Doesn’t God want us to be happy, isn’t it my right to be happy over everybody else?  Of course if one took such a route, it could be considered selfish.  After all, if you are married your vows did not say, “for better or worse, as long as you are happy.”  The other choice that is presented to all of us is to be selfless.  Your wife may upset you about something, or maybe even about many things.  Your husband may come across as a jerk after a long day of work.  These are just a couple of possibilities in an infinite sea of them.  Think about your own relationship and/or marriage.  If we take the selfish road, then we will not care why our wife has upset us – we will just know that our rights have been violated, and she should not have done that!  On the selfish road, if your husband is grumpy.  You won’t bother to learn what you can do to make it better.  You will allow his frustration to grow within you, making a bad situation even worse. And thus, you will find yourself in a vicious cycle, that you will feel helpless to break.  However, if we take the selfless way, then we will overlook our partner’s shortcomings to the best of our ability.  We will realize that, yes she may have upset me, but how many times have I upset her?  We will understand that even though he may be grumpy, there is a reason, and I have been grumpy with him too.  We will cut our partner a little slack, because we will understand that we are not perfect, and because we truly love him or her.  (Please do not misunderstand, this does not cover abuse and other life threatening situations).

So, what is love, anway?  The Bible defines love in different ways.  It is defined by both deeds and actions, rather than words.  However, what we see throughout the scriptures, is that love is always a choice.  How is that?  In our culture we often speak of love as if it is something we cannot control.  If we “fall” in love, then we can “fall” back out of it.  We talk about our hearts and our minds as if they were two separate entities.  However, our hearts and our minds are one and the same.  We do choose who we love, and how strongly we love them.

As in all things, God in Christ is our example in love.  From the very beginning we see God choosing to love.  It has often been asked, “Why did God create humanity, knowing that we would sin?”  We have a very limited knowledge of God’s mind, so it would be difficult to answer this question with complete confidence.  Yet, we can at least scratch the surface.

What compels people to have children?  All to many of us have known the pain of a child who does not make it full term within the mother’s womb.  Also, many of us have experienced the sorrow of a child who is disabled or has a terminal disease.  Furthermore, we know that it is possible that our children may not reciprocate our love, and may even rebel against the way that we have raised them.  With the possibilities of such heart break looming with each life, why do most people yearn to bring children into this world?  Is the answer not “love?”  Do we not long to share our love with the next generation?  Again, that does not cover everything in the question above.  But it does give us some insight.  There are two things that we desire: to love and to be loved.  Is it not possible that God deisres to share His love, even if we will not reciprocate?  Not only does the creation of humanity manifest this truth, but the very incarnation of Christ implies it as well.

As any Bible student knows, God’s love was rejected by those whom He lovingly gave life.  Yet, in His loving mercy He chose to delay the judgment that was His right to dispense.  For thousands of years, the results of this “Pandora’s Box” brought new horrors from and upon God’s creation. Until at last because of their continual evil thoughts and violent ways, God brought judgment (Genesis 6.5, 11).  Yet even then His love required mercy and so He safely brough humanity to and from the brink of extinction.

Through the thousands of years that ensued after the flood, God manifested His enduring steadfast love to both Jew and Gentile.  But love was and is manifested with crystal clarity in the teachings and sacrifice of Christ.  We all recall what Jesus taught Nicodemus (John 3.16).  We also remember what John wrote – “God is love” (1 John 4.8).

Indeed, God is love.  But that love that He gives to us does not stem from infatuation or euphoria.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  He chooses to love us in spite of our sin, in spite of our ugliness, in spite of our rebellion (Romans 5.8).  He chooses to love us, though we are unlovable, though we have made ourselves ugly, and reject His love regularly.

God does not walk away when those whom He loves upsets Him, or come across as ungrateful “jerks.” So, let us take a cue, for the author of love teaches us what it is by showing us what it is.   He continues to work towards reconciliation through His Son; for His steadfast love endures forever.

 

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Well, it has been quite a while since my last post.  Starting this week, there will hopefully be more material put on here.  Anyone and everyone who stops by is truly appreciated.  Please feel free to leave any comments or questions.

For the forseeable future the subjects of The Wayfaring Alien will focus on the all important topic of love.  Love is the subject of most of the poetry that has been written over the centuries.  Most songs that we sing, and hear on the radio deal with some aspect of it.  Millions of dollars are spent and made each year in Hollywood in the production of so-called “romantic comedies.”  One would be tempted to think that humanity has an epic scale of expertise when it comes to love.  But we are light years away from understanding it the way that we should.  So, as you read these thoughts, please do not think that I am claiming experthood on this subject, or anything you read here.  Rather, I am seeking the truth, believing that it will set me free from the bonds of this world (John 8.32).

Think about it, we talk about love all of the time, don’t we?  We may say things like, “I love pizza,” or “I love the New York Yankees,” or “I LOVE THIS CAR!”  We will then in turn use the same word to express our emotions and relationship towards our spouses, children, parents, siblings, and even God!  To say the least, we may be a little confused on what “love” really is!

Have you ever watched the movie Bambi?  It has been a pretty long time since I saw it (thanks to the death of Bambi’s mama).  But there is the essence of one scene that I will never forget.  It takes place in the spring, and Bambi is confused because so many of his animal buddies are acting all crazy around the ladies.  The owl tells him it is because they are “twitterpated.”  A short time after this the young buck finds himself in the same situation after denying that it would ever happen to him.  We all know that “twitterpated” feeling don’t we?  It is hard to sleep, eat, or think about anything or anyone else.  In our culture we call it “falling in love.”   It’s more like getting high, or intoxicated.  In reality it is infatuation, and it doesn’t last as long as any of us would like.  Often people get married in this state of mind.  Sometimes when the infatuation ends, one or both spouses feel as if they have “fallen out of love,” and the marriage ends because it was built on the shifting sand of emotion.  You see, they may never have known what love was in the first place.

Several years ago the singer Tina Turner released a song which asked, “What’s love got to do with it?”  Well, we aren’t going to get into the exact meaning of the song.  But let’s try to apply that question to life, and maybe we can find the answer as we do.

As we said earlier, we are not experts in love.  But we can find someone who is: Jesus.  He made love the central theme of his teachings.  In fact, His closest disciples spoke at great length about it in their letters to others who followed Him.   When someone asked Jesus what the most important commandment in the law was, Jesus answered, “Love.”  He did not quote from the Ten Commandments, or talk about the importance of the ritualistic laws, or even the law of required circumcision.  Instead He emphasized the need for love.  First was the importance of our love for God and then our love for our neighbors (Matthew 22.34-40).

Later, in John’s gospel, Jesus is with His disciples, and only hours before His arrest.  Once again, “love” came up.  At one point Jesus said, that others will discern our discipleship based on the love that we have for one another (John 13.35).  A bit later and in the same context He said, “if you love me keep my commandments” (John 14.15).  Which ones, though?  Certainly, all of them.  But as Jesus emphasizes two particular commands concerning love, then we should start there.

Sometimes it seems as if we only consider Jesus commanding us to do the following:

1.  Attend church services on the First Day of the Week
2. Be Baptized
3. The Modes and Methods of how we partake of the Lord’s Supper
4. The type of music we utilize in worship assemblies
5. Tithing

It is not the purpose of this post to debate the list that is given above. It is not exhaustive, but is only there to serve as making a point. No doubt these things are important. But as Paul would say, if we don’t have love we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13.2).  It could also be said that with the exception of number two, the rest of these “commandments” are not made directly by Jesus – but that is a subject to be discussed at another time.  There are many other “commands” that Christians often times believe should stand as a test of fellowship and apostasy.  But is it not interesting that love never seems to be one of those tests?

The so-called church of the middle ages would torture and burn folks at the stake on a whim, but seldom did they judge themselves to be in violation of the greatest of all commandments!  Today we see different types of things.  We are much too civilized to burn and torture people – but the attitude is still there!  We will disagree with someone and drag their name through the mud before our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and we justify it by saying it is for God’s glory!  Shame on us for ever thinking that this is kind of attitude is acceptable.  That way of thinking is comparable to the Pharisees in Jesus’ day who exposed the sins of others, but could not see it in themselves (John 8.2-12).   It seems evident that we live in a time in which “lawlessness has increased” and “the love of many has grown cold” (Matthew 24.12). We may say that we love God, but our actions often prove otherwise. We often say that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, but once again love is more than words. We may even say that we love everyone including our enemies, but our attitudes and actions towards those who don’t agree with us, who don’t look like us, or who don’t live in our country often times says something else.  Certainly, love is difficult and challenging, but that does not give us license to be unloving.

Why is it that love is so often neglected among us?  Is it possible that it is because we don’t know what it really is?  Maybe, sometimes we don’t really want to know?  The story has been told about a brother in Christ saying in despair, “Love, love, love!  That’s all we ever talk about,” when he heard that the preacher was going to teach on said subject.  There is a reason for that – because love has everything to do with it!  That is the answer Ms Turner: EVERYTHING.  Jesus said as much in Matthew 22.40.  So, if our primary motivation to live as a Christian is anything other than loving God and others, then our faith is incomplete.  May we all grow in true love.

Thank you for stopping by.  Next week, these thoughts will be continued under the heading, “I Wanna Know What Love Is.”  (Gotta love ’80s music).

God bless!

Book Review: Tea With Hezbollah by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis

I was first introduced to Ted Dekker almost ten years ago with his Circle Trilogy, which remains one of my favorite fictitious stories that I have ever read.  Sadly, I have not read much of his work past that, though there is a book or too.  I always look at his books with the intent of purchasing every one of them eventually, but that hasn’t come yet.  A few years ago, the book you see to your left came to my attention.  It was also one of those “eventually” books.  Thankfully, my wife knows what I like, and she saw me ogling it several times, so she gave it to me for my birthday.  I have read it twice: once last year, and have just recently finished it again.  I thoroughly enjoyed it both times, and believe that it is one of the most important books of recent history.  The stated purpose of the book is to see if it is possible to follow Jesus’ most difficult teaching – to love our enemies.

In this work Mr. Dekker travels to the Middle East with Carl Medearis, an expert on mid-east relations.  Going from country to country they interview several people in this unstable part of the world including the brothers of Usama bin Laden (who are disgusted with their infamous brother’s life choices), Sami Awad (a Palestinian Christian who seeks peace with Israel through non-violent methods), national and religious representatives, leaders of organizations typically considered terrorist, and even the leader of the remaining Samaritans.  It also tells the intriguing story of a young American born to a Palestinian woman, who seeks her biological father in Palestine at the beginning of the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.

The questions asked in the interviews were not what you would expect.  In fact, they were more designed to help the reader understand that even though the religion of these people is different from our own, the culture they are a apart of is different, and they happened to be born in a different latitude than we were, they are still people.  Below are some highlights of one such interview.  They all follow a similar template.  This one is with Sheik Nabil, the second in command over Hezbollah. Whether you agree with what he says or not isn’t the point.  That I am a Christian and he a Muslim is not the point.   The point is to not see this man as a monster, but as a human being who has many of the same issues and anxieties that we do.

Dekker: What kind of car do you drive?                                                                                                                                                           Nabil: (chuckles) A Mercedes                                                                                                                                                                                Dekker: What color?                                                                                                                                                                                                         Nabil:  Black.  But you won’t see my car from the sky, because I park under tarps.  Many times I have nearly been illed by assassins and bombs targeting me.                                                                                                                                                                  Dekker: Where do you live?                                                                                                                                                                                      Nabil: I move many times so that my enemies can’t find me.  This isn’t appropriate to discuss, you understand?                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Dekker: Of course.  And your family?                                                                                                                                                                    Nabil: I have a wife and four children.  My son Mokdadi is preparing an educational movie about children.  I have a daughter who is in college in Iran.  My third child, Abass, is nine years old and loves karate and soccer.  He is also in Iran.  And my youngest daughter is three.                                                                                                                                                                       Dekker: When was the last time you cried?                                                                                                                                                         Nabil:  Every time I pray to God I cry.  Recently I cried when I heard that a husband was killed with a cluster bomb.  Now his wife and children are suffering.  I met with them and showed them sympathy.  The youngest child was crying.  He was only three years old.  he cried so much that everyone started crying with him.  The thing that makes me cry the most is when I see children crying and suffering.  I cried during the massacre in Kana.  Those children that were killed in Kana, the rocket didn’t hit them directly; it hit ten meters away from them.  It was one of the advanced bombs that weighs ten thousand pounds.  It penetrated the earth.  The building collapsed and they were buried alive under the soil.  We heard the children crying, but nobody could save them.  There were sixteen young children, thirty altogether.  When we buried them, their bodies were completely blue because they suffocated.  One of the mothers touched the hand of her daughter underneath the rubble and she didn’t let go until her daughter died…                                                                                                    Dekker: What makes you laugh?                                                                                                                                                                                    Nabil:  I like your questions.  Very good.  (Clears his throat, smiling) My son was playing in our house and broke his arm.  I called him and asked him he was angry.  He said, “No, everyone is giving me gifts and food and drinks.  And I don’t have to go to school.”  (Everyone in the room laughs.)  I also have a daughter who is three.  She entered my office and closed the door.  I was outside and she locked it.  She started crying because she didn’t know how to open the door.  We tried explaining how to open the door.  I said, “Give me the keys and I’ll give you all the dollars in my office.  She forgot the keys and went to look for the dollars.  She said she wanted Kleenex to wiper her tears.  I said, “Give me the keys,” but she said, “Bring me the kleenex and I’ll give you the keys.”  Then she wanted watermelon.  This whole time she was locked inside this room.  Then she remembered that she was locked in, so she started crying.  Finally we got her out.  She said, “Give the dollars.  You said you would give me them if I gave you the keys.”                                                                                                            Dekker: Jesus’ greatest teaching was that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  How do you recommend we love each other as he taught?                                                                                                                                                                                             Nabil: Love has many stages.  The highest level is when you cannot decide whether to love or not to love because there is no room for hatred.  The love of your neighbors comes naturally in response to obeying Jesus and God.  Loving the neighbor is proof that your heart is full of love.  When we say neighbors, we mean all of humanity.  All people are brothers because we all come from God.  If you believe in one God, you become equal with all Muslims.  We believe there are many ways to God but there is one God.  Praying is one way.  Helping people is another way.  Pleasing the heart of a sad person is a way to God.  Serving people is a way.  Only God can know what is in our hearts…                                                                     Dekker: If you fire a rocket at your neighbor, how is that loving them?                                                                                                  Nabil: But we don’t fire rockets at our neighbors first.  Only in defense, as much as the Americans do to stop those who provoked the attack on 9/11.  This is justice.    

This book taught me a great deal.  I learned trivial things like basketball is popular in the middle east.  I also learned that not all Arabs take their religion seriously (much like many Christians we know).  It was also interesting to learn that women in many countries (such as Saudi Arabia) may not have as many rights in the public square as we think they ought to have, but in the privacy of home they are given great respect and freedom.  That is not to say that Saudi Arabia does not have a long way to go when it comes to basic human rights, but can Americans honestly say that they have it all figured out? 

I was reminded that history is often colored based on who is victorious in a given conflict, and based on where we live.  Things are not as black and white as we would like to think that they are when it comes to the realm of global politics.  Though they are Muslim, and we are Christian, we must not forget that God created them in His image too, and that they have the same emotions as we do.  Do they not have hopes and fears?  Do they not have dreams for their children?  Do they not long for freedom?  Yet what Americans, Arabs and everyone in between must learn (most won’t) is that true freedom is not found in a document or through war.  It is only found in coming to the Christ, and truly giving Him the lordship of our lives.  For I was also reminded that Muslims have as great a respect for Jesus Islam will allow.  They believe in the virgin birth, and they even believe in His second coming.  However, they only believe that He is a Prophet, only less in greatness to Mohammed.  We disagree with the Muslims on many things, but there is common ground.  It may not be much but it is there.  May we lovingly pray for our Muslim neighbors.  May we seek to start building bridges, instead of burning villages.  May we show them the love of God in Christ. 

I give this book five out five alien heads!

Reign Over Me

Reign over me

Rule in my Heart

For the wicked one attacks

I’ve been pierced by His dart.

Search my being

Lord, break my heart

Cleanse my spirit, and make it whole

Granting me a fresh start.

It is your grace

Which seals my life

Your longsuffering gives me strength

To persevere through strife.

Your Love my King

 Has set me free

 To soar above worldly constraints

And take my flight to liberty. 

WED

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Death of the Wicked: Reflections on the Death of Usama Bin Laden from a Biblical Perspective

Writing on this subject is not one that I enjoy, in fact I have put it off for days because of the discomfort that is associated with it.  Some things must be said in the outset.  First of all you will find no defense of Usama bin Laden here; he lived by the sword and he therefore died by it as most who adhere to that lifestyle eventually do.  You will also find no celebration or patriotic/nationalistic rants because of his death.    This is also not a discussion on the benefits or detriments on war or capital punishment.  What is said here may prove to be enraging, and even offensive to some.If so, that is not my intention, please accept my apologies. 

It has been intentional to hold off for a while due to the loaded and intense nature of this subject.  It has also taken a while to get my thoughts together and my emotions under control.  While much of the world celebrated the death of this mad man, many Christians praised God that he was finally dead.  Times and situations like these are often confusing.  There is often times a part of us that is happy, a part of us that is angry, and some may even feel saddened.  There are also others who feel guilty over being so happy that he is dead, while many mock those who have those guilty emotions. 

If you have gotten on the internet at all, you have surely seen the wide range of emotions that this news has brought.  For example if you were to surf your way over to www.youtube.com you could do a search on “Morgantown reacts to bin Laden’s death.”  If you do, be sure to turn up your profanity filters if that sort of thing offends you.  Here you will see the citizens of this West Virginia college town celebrating in the streets as if the Mountaineers had just won a football game.  It was somewhat reminiscent of how some Middle Easterners reacted upon learning of the attacks of September 11th, 2001.  There are many like it – take your pick.

On other sites you can read statements that manifest these strong and deep-seated emotions.  The following are just a tiny sample.  They are unedited.  “Your great Osma Bin Laddin is seeing GOD right now answering for his wrong doing and then going straight to HELL FOREVER Sweet so sweet!”  That was from Rhonda on May 2nd, 2011 at 7.02 PM. 

How about this one: “Allah can’t help him, and the True Living God has already dealt with him and all those that follow in Bin Ladin’s ways” ~ ingrid collelo, May 2nd, 2o11 at 6.24 PM. 

Finally, “We (Americans) have NOTHING andd I repeat NOTHING against muslims but read this loud and clear: WE CARE NOTHING BOUT THIS MASS MURDERER WHO NOT ONLY KILLED AMERICANS, AFRICANS, FRECH AND COUNTLESS OTHERS INCLUDING MUSLIMS SO NO WE AS A PEOPLE ARE NOT SYMPATHETIC TO HIM HIS CAUSE OR HIS FOLLOWERS THEY CAN ALL ROT IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR ALLIES THE BLOOD OF JESUS COVERS US AND WE WILL PREVAIL OVER THIS EVIL~” BamaGirl, May 2nd at 4.50 PM. 

Just like the videos there are many more like these all over the internet.Please bare with me as we take this time to talk about all of these emotions from a Biblical perspective.  It could prove rather lengthy.

Many have gone to God’s word to justify feeling ”triumphant over this evil,” while others point to passages that show that instead of time of celebration we should be more reflective. 

One thing that seems to have been said over and over is that “we are not celebrating the death of a person, we are celebrating realized justice.”  While celebrating the death of any one is inappropriate, is it good to celebrate this sort of justice? 

Here is one passage that someone quoted on a social networking site last week on a thread discussing this topic: “that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.  The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah  The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9.14-17, ESV).  To be honest, in the context of the Bin Laden death, it is unclear what this person was saying, at least it was to me.  It is interesting to note that the only rejoicing here seems to be done in the poet’s salvation, not in his enemy’s destruction.  Earlier in the Psalm God is called “He who avenges blood” (v. 12).  The Psalm is dealing with God avenging His people from the wicked by His righteousness.  Also, it must be noted that justice here is also dealing with giving the oppressed, the poor and the needy what rightfully belongs to them but has been neglected by those in power.  Therefore making the powerbrokers of those ungodly nations into the wicked their greed for worldly power and riches (vv. 18-20).  It seems clear that what is celebrated is not judgment, but the salvation that is found in and by God from the oppressors. 

There are also different texts in the writings of both the Old and New Covenants which are known as imprecatory.  To imprecate means to call down a curse or invoke evil upon a person according to www.theopedia.com/Imprecatory_Psalms.com .  Most of these can be found in the Psalms.  Following is a sampling of such texts: 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137 and 139.  Some of them can be quite disturbing to ”modern” readers:

• Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart (Psalm 55.15, ESV)
• O, God break the teeth in their mouths (Psalm 58.6a, ESV)
• Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous (Psalm 69.28, ESV)
• May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow (Psalm 109.9, ESV)
• Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock (Psalm 137.9, ESV)

Through the centuries Christians, including yours truly, have had difficulty in balancing the imprecatory prayers of the Old Testament with the ethic of enemy love commanded in the New Testament.  It would be too easy to say that these things have no place in the New Testament, but that is simply not the case, for there are imprecatorial type statements in the teachings of Christ, and of the apostles (Matthew 23.13; 26.23-24; 1 Corinthians 16.22; Galatians 1.8-9; 5.12; 2 Timothy 4.14; Revelation 6.10).  With that being said, most of the time these things are said when either God’s honor and glory are brought into question by the wrongful living of others, or when others are in danger of being lost or killed because of a bad example or teaching.  We are still hard pressed to say that there is much celebrating going on in any of the cited texts.  In fact David, instead of overcome with joy, was sorrowful that his enemies had returned evil for the good that he had done them (Psalm 35.12-14).  It also may be helpful to remember that just because God says something in His Word – does not mean that He is happy with it.  For instance when Jesus says that there will be “wars and rumors of wars,” He is stating a fact rather than giving His stamp of approval for humanity’s violence toward one another.

Another verse that has come up on an occasion or two is the Song of Miriam from Exodus 15.21, “Sing to the Lord for He has triumphed, gloriously the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”  There is a pretty big problem with applying this verse to the subject in question. 

First of all, as one of my dearest friends and colleagues said, “America was not just delivered out of slavery from Egypt like Israel was.”  So true.  Even though America has eliminated this person, she is still the big dog on the stage of nations, just like Egypt was in her day.  Bin Laden never was more powerful than the United States.  Peace for Israel was the eventual (if not temporary) result. What we shall receive from this is more violence and war, a fact that President Obama admits himself.  (In fact, just this morning an attack in Pakistan was reported in the news.  Al Qaeda claimed that it was the first among many retaliatory attacks for the U.S. raid in that nation that ended in the terrorist chief’s death.)   Israel’s “war” with Egypt began and ended with God’s supernatural judgment.  America’s war against terrorism continues, and if some doomsayers are correct, it may just be beginning. 

Second of all, to equate this passage to the Bin Laden situation is saying that the United States is the covenant nation of God – just like Israel was.  This has been a popular belief among some “Christians” of this nation for centuries – but it has no bearing in scripture at all.  God does have a covenant people – but it is of Kingdom that is not of this world.  To believe that America is God’s chosen nation today contradicts both Old and New Testament scriptures and takes the dangerous doctrine of American Exceptionalism to a blasphemous level.    

Third, this kind of thinking makes God and Christ into our “national deity.”  To many, God and Christ are nothing more than our Mighty Mascot awaiting to bless us, while chomping on the bit to reign down fire and brimstone down from above upon our enemies.  The above quote from BamaGirl shows that this way of thought is very much alive and well in the 21st century.  The blood of Jesus does indeed cover us – but it was meant to bring us peace not to be used as a battle cry, no matter how justifiable we believe the war to be.  It would have covered Bin Laden too, if he had made that choice in his life.

When we celebrate “justice” like this, it makes me wonder if we have forgotten a very basic truth.  That truth is simply stated in Romans 3.23: “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  A sister verse to it is, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6.23a).  Putting the two verses together we can easily see that God holds that all people have sinned, and therefore are deserving of death.  You.  Me.  Our spouses.  The guy down the street.  The murderer and the liar.  The adulterer as well as the faithful spouse.  The only one not deserving of this ”death” is Christ (Hebrews 4.15).  The only way to escape this death is through faith in Christ (Romans 3.24; 6.23b)   So, instead of celebrating the justice of Bin Laden’s violent death – perhaps we ought to be more reflective.  May we always remember that our sins have separated us from God, and we also stand to be condemned apart from Christ.  

One may object and say - ”But I’m not a mass murderer!  Sure, I may have lied, or cheated.  I may have committed fornication, done drugs, or even dabbled in homosexuality – but I never killed anyone!”  This may be true, yet all of our sins led Jesus to Gethsemane.  I may not have driven the nails through His hands and feet, but by proxy I killed the Man too.  Yet, His loving prayer in agony continues to ring even for us, “Father forgive them!” 

I must admit, I struggle with my feelings on this subject.  We live in a sinful and fallen world where wars, earthquakes and famine will continue to be part of “business as usual,” and we are influenced by its fallenness even if we are aliens in it.  Certainly, it would have been preferable that he had repented. 

But, let us not be too quick to gloat, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out” (Proverbs 24.17-20).  For God Himself does not delight in His own judgment of justice upon the wicked, “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” (Ezekiel 18.23), ” Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways,” (Ezekiel 33.11).

   

A Pledge of Allegiance

“I Pledge Allegiance to the Lord,

Of All the Universe Which He Created

And to His Kingdom for Which He Bled

His Nation Under God

Indivisible

With True Liberty and Mercy for All”

WED 4.23.11

Ponderings

On that Dark and Most Wicked Day;

How did He His Mighty Hand Stay?

Did His Anger Rush to His Holy Face;

Only to be Tempered by His Undying Grace?

Did He Desire to send His Host;

To Deliver He Who Loved Him Most?

Did Salty Tears Upon His Eyes Bring;

The Pain of Their Relentless Sting?

Did His Holy Lips upon His Throne;

Let Escape an Anguished Moan? 

Why Forsake His Son upon that Tree;

To Deliver a Treacherous Wretch Like me?

Why did He all this Pain Endure?

To Cleanse our Hearts and Make us Pure.

For we, Bound in  Hellish Captivity;

Will Only Know True Liberty -

If we Walk With Him in the Brilliant Light.

To Vanquish Injustice in this Dark, Cold Night.

W.E.D. 4.23.11