Osama Bin Laden is Dead ... But Grace cures Bitterness and not Revenge

Rejoicing and jubilation has continued over the death of Osama bin Laden. The memories of 911 have been resurrected and the opportunity to comfort those still hurting has come again to the fore. Any progress against forces of terror and violence is a good thing worth celebrating but whether this experience relieves bitterness is another issue.

Will souls be at peace when they see those who hurt them destroyed?  Is the physical destruction of any human life a real victory? Is our rejoicing always a good thing for us?

Ponder for a while over some of these scriptures.

Matthew 10[28]  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

John 16[20]  Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Even if we can conquer spirits talk less of physical beings does this constitute a cause for rejoicing or are we majoring once again in minors?

Luke 10[20]  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Watching many hurt and bitter people who have suffered unfair losses, the question can be asked - does the Bible offer any answers?  There is a cure for bitterness and it is not in looking back.

Hebrews 12[15]  Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God's grace (His unmerited favour and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it (amp) The Bible warns us to be on watch and not be short of God’s grace and always looking for the unmerited favour and spiritual blessings of God ...or else we find ourselves sooner or later trapped in bitter cycles.  The News Networks are doing their best to milk the current situation to feed the natural hunger to be appeased by vengeance...but unconsciously they may actually be further trapping old victims or preparing fresh ones.

No doubt, terrorists will be blamed again if there should be another incident ... but that does not resolve the fresh and stronger chains of bitterness waiting to be reinitiated to entangle even more as News Networks further showcase (naturally always biased) perspectives of the rights and wrongs of humanity that will never end - on this side of eternity.  To help the bitter and grieving, the Bible suggests they should be turned to the grace and favour of God and take their eyes off themselves or others. There is help for the grieving in Christ Jesus.

To illustrate a pattern in the Book of Ruth, Naomi an extremely bitter and hurt widow finds that grace and blessing through Boaz ( a type of Christ) and she becomes a famous and fruitful woman of great joy as Ruth marries the  kinsman Redeemer. Ruth 1[19]  So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? [20]  And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. [21]  I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Ruth 4[16]  And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. [17]  And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Rehashing the hurts of Moab - the city of Naomi’s disasters or trying to understand why her husband and sons died was not really helpful. The parties benefiting from reliving the hurts and bitter experiences of 911 are the News Networks and perhaps the President who may have discovered a popularity placebo.

Jesus Christ is waiting for the grieving...

Matthew 11[28]  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29]  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.   Christian Post