I will not celebrate the death of Bin Laden, but I will congratulate our military for a job well done.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:44; But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,.

Bin Laden was much more than just an enemy; every American knows that to be true. He did more than just persecute, he killed with cowardice. He took our loved ones from us, he took our peace of mind, and today we know that in turn, we took his life. Many Americans will sleep easier tonight after hearing this news. Some have taken to the streets to celebrate and I don’t blame them. I do believe Bin Laden’s death is a good thing. I will admit there is a part of me who wants to crack open a beer and run into the street to celebrate with my fellow Americans.

Unfortunately I can’t do it. I can’t raise a glass to the death of this man. I can and would though, to those in our military who worked so hard to make it happen and to keep us all safe. I will congratulate our men and women in uniform on a job well done. They have done what they needed to do, in order to keep us safe; that’s clear and I am thankful for it.

So why can’t I celebrate the death of Bin Laden? Perhaps it’s because I remember September 11^th 2001 and I wish none of it ever happened. I wish we didn’t have to seek and destroy this man, along with those who followed him. That might be part of it. I think the real reason is that I know evil. I know this man was evil and I know that evil isn’t going to sleep easy tonight. I know that our military and Special Forces both at home and abroad are fighting a never ending battle. It’s a battle that must be fought and one that will cost more of our lives.

I also know that our world is at a point of turmoil, our country is walking a thin line, and despite tonight’s news evil is growing stronger. I’ve read the book and I know how it ends. I don’t know the details but I know we are all in for an ugly ride. I know God wins, but I do see the writing on the wall that tough times are on the way.

Right now we need to remember the words of Jesus. We need to love our enemies and pray for those who are standing against us. Why? Because Jesus said so. Biblical wisdom is profound and we don’t often understand it easily. Sometimes we just need to do what God tells us to. I am reminded of King David’s reaction to the death of his enemy, Saul. He mourned his death, even though the man had been trying to kill him for years. Comparing Saul and Bin Laden in not something I am about to do. They are very different men, one pure evil and one a King once anointed by God. Bin Laden was evil. He was being led by Satan and Satan is still leading his followers.

I am not saying we need to mourn, what I am saying is that right now is the time when we need to be reverent of God and respect his word. David was reverent of God when his enemy was killed and God blessed him. We need God’s blessing right now more than ever.

Proverbs 24:17-18 says; Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.

Please my brothers and sisters; hear what I am saying. Now is the time for us to get it right. Pray. Pray that God will turn the hearts of our enemies to Him; that they would repent and seek God’s mercy. Pray that our nation would be reverent and humbly seek God’s grace. Pray that our nation would seek the heart of the LORD and that we would turn from our own sin.

This Thursday is the national day of prayer. Let’s act like this isn’t a coincidence. Take this opportunity to be humble and to seek God’s blessing by obeying His words.   

Life in a port-a-potty

I don’t like public restrooms and I like port-a-potties even less. As I man I blessed with the ability to forego their use most of the time. There are however those rare occasions where I am left with no other option. I don’t often think much about the nice fresh air around me, until I am forced to spend a small portion of my life confined in a 4x4 hot box of stench. It is after those wonderful experiences that I appreciate fresh air the most.

I have to believe that if we spent enough time in there we would become used to the smell, just like most things in our lives we have become accustomed too. Soon enough we would forget about the fresh air outside and we would begin to appreciate the quality of the blue water which has been added for our enjoyment. As much as the thought of becoming numb to the smell of a large amount of human excrement disgusts me, I must admit that it has happened to me. I’ll bet it’s happened to you too.

We live our lives in a port-a-potty. We have become numb to the stench around us and no longer have a clue what fresh air smells like. The world we live in has become filled with human excrement and that disgusting smell we don’t even recognize anymore is the by-product of our sin. Watch 30 minutes of television and consider the many messages being sent your way. In that short time you will be told to fill your life with sin and it will be presented to you in a way which makes you appreciate the smell. If you are like me, you will have even grown fond of some of it. On my daily drive to work the billboards alone tell me to gamble, drink, buy a new car, take a vacation and get laser eye surgery because Tiger Woods did it. Okay so laser eye surgery is not that bad. If I am really lucky on my drive home I will get to follow the truck with the giant billboard advertising the local strip joint, it even says “Come see what you’re missing”.

To still a line from one of my favorite songs; “I hate this world and all it has to offer.”  I thank God that his salvation; through Jesus Christ his son gives me hope and that this port-a-potty life is not all there is for me. I was driving home from work today mad about my job, thinking about what I was going to do about. Then it hit me, if I work my entire life in a job I don’t like and endure the stench I just might enjoy the fresh air of heaven a little bit more when I get there.

As Men of Jesus we must keep our perspective. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the stench of our port-a-potty and we must live our lives with the understanding that our time in this world is only a pit stop.