No Ordinary Hero

Last week I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time in years. I love the scene where Indiana Jones discovers where Marion has been taken captive and instead of rescuing her, he leaves her there! It’s a great moment because we all know the hero is supposed to rescue the damsel in distress but Indiana Jones is no ordinary hero. He knows it will serve their goal better if he leaves Marion in her predicament for just a little longer. Eventually, he saves her but a lot of damsel distress happens in between.

That’s just like Jesus. He’s no ordinary hero. We have all these expectations about what He should do in our lives and when but He’s not compelled to serve our expectations. He’s got a greater plan and sometimes it serves the good of the goal to leave us unrescued for the moment.

Jesus loved John the Baptist. They were cousins and John, perhaps more than anyone at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, understood what Jesus was about. It amazes me that when John is thrown into prison and sends word to Jesus, Jesus doesn’t come. He doesn’t show up. He sends John a message through one of his followers and shortly thereafter, John is beheaded.

Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus. They were his friends. He stayed at their home when He was in town. They hosted His gatherings. Then Lazarus grew seriously ill. They sent for their friend who could heal the sick. Does He drop everything and come rushing to their rescue. No. He tarries. Lazarus dies. What are they to think? Where was He? How could He not come?

In both cases, Jesus knew it served the greater plan for Him not to come. John, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are all rescued now but in the moment, they remained unrescued. Jesus is no ordinary hero.

Some of us remain unrescued. We love Jesus. We follow Him the best we can. We’re not perfect but we’ve really tried. Then trouble shows up at our door. We are sick unto death. We are financially devastated. We watch relationships crumble. We cry out to our hero for help, and we wait. But we remain unrescued.

We know He can hear us. We know He could save us if He wanted. We even feel His love and know He is with us in our trouble. So we are tempted to question our own faith.

Hebrews chapter 11 is the great faith chapter where are listed the heroes of our faith: Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Moses – the list goes on. If you read to the end, however, you will find the chapter takes a distressing turn. Around verse 33, the writer mentions many who through faith shut the mouths of lions, conquered kingdoms, and escaped the edge of the sword but then, around verse 36, we find that some who exercised faith faced jeers, flogging, prison, torture, persecution, mistreatment and death. It ends with these words “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

God has a plan. Jesus is no ordinary hero and if you choose to follow Him, you are not on an ordinary adventure. Sometimes you will not be rescued from your temporary predicament. Some of us through faith will be healed, will overcome obstacles, will triumph over death on earth but some of us, through faith, will remain sick, will remain impoverished, will die.

Are you still unrescued? Take heart. He loves you as dearly as He loved John and Mary, Martha and Lazarus. You will arrive safe in the end but if He tarries to come, He has a greater goal in mind and you have been given a part in that. Stay strong and do not lose heart. He is no ordinary hero and you are not a child of ordinary faith.

Ultimately, we are in this, not for the payoff of the momentary rescue but for the greater prize – the building of a kingdom that will exceed all our expectations and include all who need to be rescued! Take heart, loved one. In a little while, He will come. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”( Rev. 22:20-21) Maranatha!