I wrote a blog last night about this same subject and today at work found a blog on CNN about Osama bin Laden's death. It's a pastor who's been praying for OBL for 10 years. In the blog, which can be found here (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/03/my-take-bin-laden-died-long-ago/?hpt=T2):
"I have been praying for Osama bin Laden for 10 years. I was not surprised by news of his death. As I asked myself why, I suspect it is because, in my eyes, bin Laden died long ago. He died to goodness; he died to mercy; he died to peace. He died to the things that God cares most about. He was alive until this week--but he died to life a long time ago.
I have wondered over the years what God tried to do to win him back to love. I wonder about the confounding ability of human beings to resist the love of God. I wonder about these things for Osama bin Laden and I wonder the same things with respect to my own life. Today, as I have many days before, I pray for my enemy--I pray him into the hands of the God of justice and mercy."
The truth is that God wants everyone to come to Him; He wants no one to perish. He desires for each of us to come to Him. He does things to love us to Him. Some are big and some are small. He sent Jesus to die in our place. He gives us the sights and sounds of the ocean and the views from the mountain tops.
Bin Laden's heart was hard and he resisted God's love. I hope that I have what it takes to pray for my enemies and to pray that their hearts will become receptive to God's efforts to win them back to His love.
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