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At first I thought it was SPAM as I looked at the email on my Blackberry this morning about Bin Laden’s death. I turned on Fox News and the report of the email was quickly confirmed.

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

Fox News began flashing headlines from newspapers from around the world:

“We Got the Bastard!”

“Celebrate! Bin Laden Dead!”

“He Got What He Deserved!”

It was the last headline that stopped me in my tracks.

As I watched scenes of jubilation at Ground Zero, the White House, and our military academies, those words just didn’t sit well with me. It wasn’t that the headline wasn’t true, but the fact that just a few weeks ago I was celebrating the message of Easter…that an innocent man was brutally murdered so that I would not get what I deserved.

I have heard the word “justice” used a lot this morning. No doubt the world is a much safer place now that Bin Laden is dead. There is no justifying the atrocities he committed against innocent people. But when I think about celebrating justice, I’m reminded how desperate I am today for God’s amazingly scandalous grace for my own atrocities.

Carlos Whittaker has a great discussion going on this topic on his blog, Ragamuffin Soul. Check out some of the great comments.

So what do you think? Should be celebrate Bin Laden’s death and the “justice” that was served? How do we reconcile Easter’s message of grace and mercy and calling for justice for Bin Laden? I’d love to hear your thoughts.