JUSTICE SERVED

"Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let the net which he hid catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall."  Psalm 35.8


In this case, Osama bin Laden was caught in a net that took years to perfect, but then came together like a well-oiled machine.


Team Six, a special Navy Seal counter-terrorism unit working with the CIA and FOLLOWING A THREAD FROM GUANTANAMO INTEL...ended the search for the alQaeda mastermind with a bullet.  


The unemployed brother-couriers who built the million dollar compound (8x larger than anything around it, and 100 yards away from a Pakistani military academy) were traced back to the interrogation of the hairy KSM.  Thank you, President George W. Bush for acting to protect our country through the tools in the Patriot Act.  And thank you, President Obama, for giving Team Six the green light.  If bombing had been the chosen plan, there would not have been that moment for OBL to realize he was called to account.


We often hear the phrase "justice was served".  What exactly does that mean?  Why does bin Laden's death cause people together to cheer and chant and sing our national anthem?  Initially, those expressions released ten years of pent-up frustration.  But another death won't bring back the innocents of 9/11.  So what is the value of this swell of emotion?


Our internal thirst for "right" is disturbed when "wrong" goes unanswered.  That's why when the little blonde Elizabeth Smart is taken from her bedroom, we are outraged until her case comes full circle and the person responsible is punished.  God gave us that thirst for things being put right.  That causes us to desire THE righteous Judge who will ultimately settle accounts and bring about perfect justice.


But since all accounts aren't settled on this side of eternity, we were totally grateful for last night's resolution in the hunt for bin Laden.  George W. Bush was right when he said "whether we bring justice to our enemies or our enemies to justice, justice will be done".  Last night, Team Six and the CIA joined many members of the Armed Services who have worked hard for ten years and have brought justice to our enemy.  They have every reason to celebrate.


I don't know what lesson you may have taken away from this event.  Over and over as I watched the familiar pictures of OBL, I curiously searched his face.  I see a calm countenance and nice eyes.  I don't see the monster that his monstrous acts would belie.  As he crawled over the rocks and knelt down to shoot an AK-47, he looked more like a shepherd than a fighter.  In fact, he looked out of place with the automatic weapon.  So my take-away?  "Seein' isn't always believin'."  I remember that my enemy was the most beautiful of the angels and he takes some of his best shots at Christ by using a pretty face.


Another thing that struck me was that this man was sincere to the end.  And in the end, he was sincerely up Salt Creek.  How can I be such an arrogant smartypants?

Think with me about what this man believed...

OBL believed that God gave him the right to kill anyone 

who did not adhere to his worldview; God calls that intimidation MURDER.   

OBL believed women had very limited rights and should be fully draped; 

God gives women an equal part in His story. 

 (How ironic was it that some of them reportedly 

hid behind a woman at the end?)

OBL sees a god who is a master permitting servants; 

God adopts us into His family.  

OBL thought his hope's result was carnality (virgins); 

God offers true hope...eternity in a place with Him forever.  

OBL's belief system deals brutally with men's disobedience (hack off an arm); 

the Bible says men's sin grieves God's heart.  

OBL's religious language does not have an understanding of the term "forgiveness"; 

God saw sin inside of man and offered a Solution (Christ) 

and a Power Source (The Holy Spirit).

OBL knew conditional acceptance that depended on his continuous acts for god;  

God unconditionally sent Jesus to take even OBL's sin on Himself at the cross.  

But that was not what OBL chose to believe...and what you believe matters.

Bin Laden had an account in heaven that never was activated.

Here's what all of us can take away from last night's execution...we can PRAY for those who do not know the Savior.  Know anyone stuck in draining relationships with gods who demand and do not offer assurance?  

God is full of justice and mercy.  The time is NOW to fall on mercy because I sure wouldn't want the justice that I would have coming to me.  That's why the hymn lyrics say "let me hide myself in Thee".  I have a mercy Covering that will cause God to passover my sin.

I guarantee today OBL wishes he had the same cover.  If he could tell you, he would say it wasn't virgins he has now encountered...but the wrath of a holy God.