Where Are The Heroes?

I don't know about you, but I grew up watching cowboy movies. Mainly, because I love horses. But, I think I was also attracted by the heroes in those movies.

They were never afraid of anyone or anything. They never backed down from a fight to defend someone's honor.

They stood up to crime and criminals.

They always chose right over wrong.

They never shot the bad guy (or girl) unless or until they had no choice.

Don't you wish the real world could be like that? Well, let's be honest, the real world has never really been like that. Not really.

Humans are fallible and fickle.

And our Abba, in all His wisdom and love, gifted us with the freedom of choice.

How have we done with that?

Even the heroes of the Bible have been fickle at best and horribly dishonorable at worst. In fact, it started in the very beginning with Adam and Eve.

Eve listened to the serpent, tried the fruit, and then tricked Adam into eating. Then they both tried to lie to Abba about eating it and ended up blaming each other and/or the serpent.

Would have been entirely too easy to just say, "I am sorry, but I was weak..."

We silly human becomings have so much trouble expressing that don't we?

Are we all really bad? Well, in a word, yes. But not on the level, perhaps, of mass murder.

Still, looking at some of the heroes, that aren't the sterling example of what we should all strive to be, even when they had the awesome opportunity of face-to-face time with Abba like Abraham had. Or like Moses did.

So, if people like them could be fallible, human, and weak, is there hope for us?

Well, Abraham went from unbelief that Sarah would have a child to willingly preparing that son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to Abba. Only to have Abba supply the real sacrifice in Isaac's place.

Moses went from stuttering and stammering every time Abba told Moses what to do or say. Abba even went so far as to tell Moses that his brother Aaron would serve as his voice but Moses would still have to be the leader.

Moses still bumbled and stammered, but he also persevered.

He stood up to Pharaoh. He went through all of the plagues until Pharaoh finally said, "Get out of my country!"

Well, something like that.

King David, who proved what a valiant warrior he was in service to Abba proved to be a weakling. Before he was King David, he was a shepherd boy who took on a giant of a man named Goliath. With a slingshot!

He fell in love with a married woman, had a fling with her, got her pregnant, and then killed her husband. And yet, became one of the greatest heroes in the Bible.

Reading all those stories, true stories, makes me feel better when I stumble and fall, or have weak moments, or just don't know what I am supposed to be doing.

Don't you?

But then, that's what Abba gave us His Word for. To read. To learn. To grow. To serve. To worship.

Most importantly, His Word is our road map to eternal life with Abba in Heaven.

Does studying His Word mean we will never stumble, fall, or have weak moments?

Not a chance.

There is only One who is or has ever been perfect. I promise it isn't me, I am pretty sure it isn't any of you, either.

That One would be Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

He loved us so much, each and everyone of us, that He gave up His place in Heaven to come to earth, be born a fully God and fully human in the form of a baby.

He grew up with earthly parents and siblings.

He went through all the trials and tribulations that life is made of.

He knew firsthand, the Love of Abba. Yet, He willingly came to earth to learn the life of pain of being a frail human.

He never stumbled. He never fell. He never sinned.

Yet, when it was time, He took the weight of our sins, ALL of our sins, upon Himself.

He suffered unfathomable humiliation and pain. Make no mistake, crucifixion is the most horrible form of death possible. He was on that cross suffocating to death while being ridiculed by the crowd, the religious leaders, the military, even His family and friends.

He shed His blood so we wouldn't have to. The blood that washed our sins away was not ours - even though we owed it, and deserved it - it was HIS blood.

So, out of all the humans who have set foot on planet earth, there has been one Perfect Being.

Still, no matter how hard we try to emulate his example, no matter how often we read and study The Word, how faithful we are with church attendance, how many accolades we accumulate, we are still hopeless sinners who deserve nothing but death.

Abba doesn't want that. Why else would He send His OWN Son to die for my sin, your sin, the sins of the world?

We do not have the slightest idea of what real love is unless and until we read the Bible and come into a personal relationship with Jesus.

It's not difficult. It's not impossible. It's available 24/7/365. All you have to do is ask. Just that easy!!

Will you become Superwoman or Superman after this? No, or course not.

But, you will understand that when you falter or fall, Abba is there to help you up, dust you off, and show you He still loves you.

I think that is incredible!

And, I feel much better about myself because now I understand that I really am a human becoming, I am weak, I am fallible, and I have hope! For eternity.

Are you there?

If not, please reach out.

Look around you at the world. If you are familiar with the Bible, you know there are signs all through that glorious book. Many have come true. Many are in process now. Time is getting short.

Don't wait!

Your eternal life depends on it.