I was struck by a rather provocative thought yesterday. I checked out CNN’s homepage as usual in the morning, and the headline for the day was that Saddam Hussein had been sentenced to death by hanging.
You know what my first thought was, just to be honest with you?
If there ever was anybody who deserved death by hanging, it’s Saddam Hussein.
And do you know what my second thought was?
Well, first let me paint a picture for you.
Say you are there – on location at Saddam’s hanging. You watch as they lead him to the gallows, you watch as they place the noose over his head and adjust it to fight tightly around his neck, and you get ready to watch this evil and sadistic man get his neck snapped. You might even be thinking to yourself, “He deserves this. He deserves to die. For the all the evil filth in his life and all the evil filth that he has done, this man deserves to die.”
And just as they are about to release the hatch under his feet a voice is heard from somewhere in the crowd. “No! Stop! Don’t hang this man!”
Everyone turns around to see who possibly could object to putting to death such a fiendish, conniving killer. A man has stood up and has begun walking toward the gallows. Saddam is just as surprised as everyone else. He doesn’t even recognize this man.
The man makes his way up front and says to the hangsman and to the crowd assembled there, “Don’t kill Saddam. Let him go. Take me instead. Let me take his place.”
And as a rumble of murmurings erupts through the crowd, the hangsman removes the noose up over Saddam’s head and instead pulls it down over the other man’s head and adjusts it to fit snugly around this stranger’s neck.
The whispers in the crowd grow to audible protests. “But Saddam deserves death! He deserves to die for the things he has done!”
But the man with the noose around his neck remains silent and motions to the hangsman.
In an instant it is over. Everyone in the crowd averts their eyes, and Saddam walks slowly down the steps, away from the gallows.
This whole vision passed through my head right after I read that headline about Saddam being sentenced to death by hanging.
Want to know what my second thought was?
Jesus died for Saddam Hussein.
Now my vision is just an allegory of what really happened, for real, historically, 2000 years ago. Jesus, on the cross, died in Saddam’s place, taking upon Himself all the punishment that Saddam deserves for his sin.
But here's the thing. I was once as far removed from God as Saddam is. I was once as filled with sin and evil filth. I was once just as much a scumbag. But Jesus, on the cross, died in MY place, taking upon Himself all the punishment that I deserved for the sin that was keeping me from God. And God accepted that sacrifice, completely, once and for all, so that I can, HERE AND NOW, have access to a holy God, a God who now calls me His child and friend and beloved. All He asked of me was that I believe it and that I follow Him. And in so doing, I, too, walked away from the gallows.
Just my reflections on life, death and eternity.
4 kommentarer:
Yeah the whole hanging issue had me pondering God as well. But, I am not a fan of the death penalty. Here is why. We are not just punishing him by death. We actually speed his entrance into hell if he doesn't repent. That is truly cruel and unusual punishment. Eternal fire.
That was awesome! Do you know that I once said we should pray for him at a prayer meeting and they jumped down my throat? How crazy is that? All I could think was that he needed Jesus more than any of us! Except, as you so eloquently showed us, not MORE than any of us, just like the rest of us.
Jenny,
Sorry your throat was widened for wanting to pray for Saddam... that IS crazy. He does, indeed, need Jesus just like the rest of us. I'm in full agreement about praying for him, and I believe that his heart can be turned toward Jesus before...
Wow--that's profound. I always think it's interesting to find that there are Christians who cannot fathom praying for everyone including Saddaam...and Osama...and any other terrorist who has taken lives...and any murderer or rapist...or any liar or cheater or theif...or any adulterer...or any fibber or jealous person...or anyone who hates someone...
Sin is sin. We all need a savior.
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