Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The extension of God's grace

I really don't like to talk politics publicly.  I have weird viewpoints that don't always mesh together.  You know, being married to a law enforcement officer it sometimes skews your perspective on things.  But I thought I'd share these thoughts and hope that I don't offend anyone in the process.  I really like listening to Neal Boortz.  Not necessarily because I agree with everything he says, but rather I recognize he talks in the extremes and it challenges my thinking, so maybe if you don't agree with my thoughts you'll at least think.

Sunday night at first I was annoyed when I saw the interruption of regular programming for a special announcement.  I figured it was something about a birth certificate or certificate of live birth or whatever that whole squabble is about. :)  When I heard the announcement a huge sense of relief and peace came over me.  Now I don't glory in death, but I found a sense of satisfaction that this happened.  I believe that he caused so many deaths in his life that for him to die was justice.  He also "resisted" and this would warrant the same outcome had it been with local law enforcement in the US even if it was in response to a lesser crime.

I've seen that some Christians are having e a hard time with the rejoicing over a killing.  I'm not sure that I feel rejoicing is in order, but I wasn't directly affected by any of his crimes either.  Him being killed in this manner rather than going through a trial and capital punishment only lessened the potential risk on the rest of the world during what would have been his trial.  Would he have had the chance to repentant and follow Christ during that process? I don't know. I've pondered before the idea that God could extend his grace to anyone and everyone he chooses.  Now I'm not coming from a pluralistic standpoint, but I wonder at times if the isolated woman who was devout to what she knows, has only known and only belief that she has been given the opportunity to know would end up in heaven.  My mind can't wrap around the thought that God could not extend his Grace to those people.  I don't really like speculating about it much but he is a powerful God and can do whatever. So through this line of thinking he could choose to save Osama Bin Laden if he so chooses.  In some ways I don't like that thought, but he is one of God's creations, right?  That's such a peculiar thought.  It doesn't change that I'm glad he's gone.  I think he didn't think of others.  I heard a police officer who was involved in rescues on 9/11 speaking of how arrogant Bin Laden was and only thought of himself, so I'm not sure any amount of time would have him humbled enough to bring him to a relationship with Christ, but again God is all powerful and can do whatever he chooses.  But then I thought of the fact that some people that he killed were sent to hell that day on 9/11. Could/would/should/did God extend his grace to those victims? Or what about those killed in the recent tsunami's, tornados, casualties of crime? There's so much pain in this world but it pains me more to see that some people experience even more pain when they leave this world. 
I'm not celebrating he's gone, but I sure am glad he is.

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