I have such mixed emotions this morning as I hear and read all that people have to say about the death of Osama Bin Laden. Yes, nearly 10 years ago, he changed life in the USA forever. Yes, I am happy that our military has been hard at work since to insure that something like 9/11 will never happen again, and I am happy and proud to be an American! Am I happy Bin Laden is no longer an issue? Yes, I think I am, but I can't help but feel a little sadness as well.
There have been so many posts made to Facebook about the fact that Bin Laden is now burning in Hell. But, how are these people so sure? Do they have an exclusive link to God that I don't have? One that allows God to reveal to them the last moments of a person's life? I'm pretty sure that's not the case, but I could very well be wrong. But as I was vacuuming this morning, I thought about the fact that to God, sin is sin. There is no hierarchy of sin. For me, that is so hard to even comprehend. How can sin just be sin, no matter what the offense is? How is my impatience with my kids the same as killing 3000+ people? Through my human eyes, the 2 don't even compare, but to God, there is no difference. That's humbling, isn't it? So then I think of the thief that hung on the cross next to Jesus. Again, his sins no better or worse than my own, or those of Bin Laden. But as he hung there on that cross, he turns and says, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke 23:42 Can you imagine? This man was about to die, and he turned to Christ for forgiveness. What happens next? In my opinion, this is one of the greatest moments in the Bible. "Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" Luke 23:43 Hallelujah!!! Jesus accepted him. This is so wonderful to me because, not only does it show us that our good deeds to not save us and our bad deeds to not condemn us to an eternity in Hell, it also is proof that IT IS NEVER TOO LATE to turn to God.
I came across an FB post that led me to a verse in Ezekiel: "Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" EZE 18:23 The commentary in my Bible says the following about this verse: "God takes no joy in their deaths [the deaths of wicked people]; he would rather that they turn to him and have eternal life. Likewise, we should not rejoice in the misfortunes of nonbelievers. Instead, we should do all in our power to bring them to faith."
Anyway, all of this to say that it is not our place to judge the eternity of anyone, not even Osama Bin Laden. It is important that we remember that it is never too late for a lost soul to answer God's call in obedience. It is also very important that we remember that our Lord is sad whenever He loses a soul to the depths of Hell. I do not know the last moments of Bin Laden's life. I do not know where he will spend eternity. It is my hope that in the 11th hour, he turned from his sin-filled life, and like the thief on the cross, turned to God and asked for forgiveness.
