I LOVE SUPERHEROES!!!!! When I think about the ‘worldly’ image of superheroes it brings to mind the bold, muscular, powerful, intelligent, gifted persona we recognize as the hero. But if we really look at the person behind the superhero nametag, we find a normal, unassuming, unlikely character. Most of the comic books show us that these people were ‘victims’ of a major event in their lives not of their choosing. They don’t come from a long line of heroes. They are unique. They stand out.
I get so fired up when I read these points made by Lisa Bevere in her book “Girls With Swords”. It was a very powerful reminder of who God can use to do heroic things for Him while we are in this world. Look at these points she made:
- God makes heroes out of nobodies.
- Heroes are people of substance.
- Heroes have attitude.
- Heroes seize their moment.
- Heroes are part of a connected legacy.
- Heroes are superhuman.
- Heroes are brave.
- Heroes have something more to them.
I don’t know about you, but when I read Hebrews 11 and recount the heroes of the faith, the last thing I see are ‘nobodies’. They must have been something special, right? Surely they woke up one day and KNEW they were a hero. Didn’t they? It’s time to dig a little deeper for some truth.
“Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.”
Hebrews 11:13 MSG
Each one of the people listed in the Hall of Faith died not even knowing the impact their life would have on the world. All they knew was that they were chosen by God to go wherever He asked, do whatever He needed them to do, protect whomever He needed them to protect, feed whoever was hungry, build what He said build, stand when He said stand and FIGHT when God said fight.
These are our ancestors. THESE are our ancestors. THESE ARE OUR ANCESTORS. They could see us in the future. They waved to us a greeting and encourage us to carry on. They passed the torch on to us normal people of God to continue the fight. Our ancestors knew they were only passing through this world. They chose to follow God, do what He asked them to do and left us a mighty legacy as an example. As a result, they had an impact on the world that is still being felt many generations after their passing.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
(Our pastor spoke on this passage this weekend. I love it when God does that for me. I got a lesson before I needed to share it with you.) It is our turn to be the hero that God rises up, in our time, to carry out His purposes. We have encouragers surrounding us. They have gone before us, they know how we feel, they are considered heroes and are sitting in the presence of God RIGHT NOW. I want to be cheered on by Moses, Abraham, Rahab, David, Mary, Nehemiah, Jeremiah….my grandparents.
We need to throw our shoulders back and declare, “I am positioned for overwhelming triumph because I am ‘from God and have overcome them, for he who is in [me] is greater than he who is in the world’” (1 John 4:4).” Did you see that? “I am positioned for overwhelming TRIUMPH because I am ‘FROM GOD’, ‘HAVE OVERCOME THEM’, ‘HE WHO IS IN ME IS GREATER THAN he WHO IS IN THE WORLD’.