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I Can Be Your Hero, Baby
I had the privilege of chaperoning a group of high school kids on a spring break trip to London and Paris this past March. I was speechless when we visited St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Notre Dame and Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris. Those houses of worship are the most magnificent physical structures my eyes have ever seen. I can relate to what the disciples must have been feeling in the massively ornate temple. And then, to hear Jesus remark, “the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” – it must have been mind-boggling. How could a temple so massive be so temporary? What was it like for the religious leaders at that time to see something they put so much emphasis on destroyed some 40 years later?
A few nights ago we were watching Kung-Fu Panda. There’s a scene in which Master Oogway dies and his protégé, Master Shifu, is left devastated. My son commented on the scene a day later, about how sad Master Shifu must have been that his master had gone away. We related it to the deaths of his favorite heroes Qui Gon-Jinn, Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda. How could masters so fierce be so temporary? What was it like for the Jedi Younglings and Padawans to see heroes they put so much faith in destroyed?
What ensued was an awesome conversation about the resurrection of Jesus and the permanence of God. As opposed to Jedi knights and kung fu masters (and monstrous temples), our master is never going away – our God is forever. I don’t revel in that fact often enough. Like the religious leaders and the younglings, I spend too much time focused on the temporary. I think I take God’s eternalness for granted too often. Offering a quick prayer or praise throughout the day, do I truly really appreciate the security that His foreverness offers or the coverage that it places over my life? Do you? What would life feel like if He remained our Hero everyday, all day?
Tina, Thank you for your insight. I love the Kung fu Panda and Jedi references…two of my personal favorites:)
I openly admit that God is not my daily hero. All to often I dawn the robes of being the hero myself, instead of allowing God to be my hero. Why is it that with God I never trust enough to get that borderline “arrogance” at knowing I have a hero. I’ll bet that at times Lois Lane felt like she could throw herself from the top of a building in full confidence that Superman would swoop in at the last second.
Yet, the slightest financial hiccup, or career lull, or family problem comes along and I scramble to repair it. Where is my patience and trust in my hero? Rather it is in that man made temple of my life that I turn. Jesus is clear that the things of this earth, however beautiful they are, do not last. I guess I’m still trying to get that through my thick skull.
Herb don’t be so hard on yourself for being a man of action, I pray the desire to help doesn’t leave just the ablity to listen to what Jesus wants you to fix will come.
I pray that Jesus will be my rock today, my forever, and will guide me to be who He wants me to be.
I pray for the leadership at CCC that as they meet with one another that they will listen to what the Lead Pastor of CCC (Jesus)wants and needs them to know and make knowm.
Thank you Lord for not living in buildings made of stone but choosing to live and work through man.
I love that we have our hero in God. I trust in him wholly when time are good but it is difficult for me when times go south. I want to fix it myself. I have a tendancy to think that God is too busy with the rest of the world to help me with my little problem. The truth is though, God knew that this problem would come up and he is waiting for me to reach out to him. To trust him with all my life.
Thanks Tina. It is always great to reflect on things like God’s permanence. One of my favorite words is immutable. It can only be used when referring to God. Only God never changes. He is like our home base. No matter what, we can run back to Him. He will always be there, still the same, with the same promises; the same mercy and grace.
Tina,
Thank you for sharing this with us. I had always focused on how man’s creations are so temporary and had related that with “things of heaven”. Your focus on the permanence of God and the frailty of man really opened my eyes to a new perspective. God’s awesomeness is so beyond our human understanding, it’s often hard to consider just how powerful, wonderful and mighty he is.
Rich stuff my friend…rich and applicable and challenging…love it. Thanks for your words. Not only do I have a tough time wrapping my head around true permanence or “eternity”, I also (like Herbert) quickly don the cape and spandex to become my own super hero to fix it or make sense of it…rather than rest in His plan for me that day or be at peace with my lack of understanding or be challenged by it to gain clarity around His perspective (vs. quickly put my personal spin on it). Thanks again my friend.
Obi Wan Kenobi – glad you mentioned him otherwise I’d have no clue that you were referring to boys toys, or maybe mythical videos, I don’t know. Glad I have grandsons so I can relate.
Just like toys and temples, we too are temporary! Our bodies are the temple of His Spirit – temporary now but to be transformed when He calls. PTL !
Thanks Tina. We should keep our eyes focused on the Lord. All else is temporal and pass away. The things we grasp to are so fleeting. Thanks for the reminder and I love to worship in Sacre Coeur. The magnificence of it reminds me of the greatness of God much more than our warehouse style churches of today.
wow. look at all these comments… almost like God is really using you here!!! imagine that.
way to go.
blessings!