I am not at all opposed to capital punishment: indeed, I believe it is God's vengeance on the unrighteous. (Romans 13:4) But, I was quite moved the other day as I saw the noose being place around Sadam's neck on a video clip on MSN.
The expression on his face made me wonder, "What was he thinking? What must have been going through his mind? Did he even realize he was about to meet his maker? Was he sorry for his crimes to humanity? Was he scared?"
Sadam has had weeks, even months to prepare for the day of his death. Did he? Did he talk to his God and beg for forgiveness? Did he repent? I heard someone say that afternoon that he had been quite defiant even minutes before they executed him. I did not see that part. What I saw was a seemingly nervous, scared, little man.
Sadam is in the hands of a merciful and yet righteous judge. I pity him if he was not in a right relationship with God. I fear for him. The horror of a certain hell I would not wish on even my worst enemy which Sadam was certainly one of.
At times like these, I think it does me good to see the reality of death we must all face someday. It especially did me good to see that wickedness will be punished. If not here, certainly in the hereafter.
Dana Burk
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I have been thinking a lot about death recently, especially in light of the loss of my precious Mother. I have been mindful of just how important it is that we be ready to meet our Maker. As was the case with my Mother, she had not been sick, was not given any warning signs that anything was wrong, and yet she died exactly 7 days after going to the hospital complaining of shortness of breath and chest pain. The doctors found a mass of her lung, and told her they needed to do further tests. She immediately asked if it was cancer, because that is how my father died. She basically went into a coma within 3 days, and never had to hear that she did indeed have cancer. At the same time, she had very little chance to do anything about her spiritual condition. Thank God, Mother was a fine Christian woman, and had been for many years. I miss her tremendously, but at the same time I see God's graciousness by the events that transpired that week she was in the hospital. I cannot express how thankful I am that Mother was a Christian, and I believe was prepared to meet God. But it brings to my mind how I need to be ready always! The greatest pleasure of a moment's sin cannot be worth it. What if I am not ready? We need to do a daily inventory of ourselves, and be sure we are always walking in the light. As you said, I would not wish hell on my worst enemy either. But for each and every one of us there will come a day, a moment in time when our final destiny will be sealed. It is my prayer that when my moment comes I will be ready.
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