6/6/2021 – Pastor Brian’s Blog –
Like most children growing up, I had a superhero. I can still remember sitting in front of my black and white TV waiting to hear…
“Faster than a speeding bullet… More powerful than a locomotive… Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,
Look, up in the sky!
It’s a bird! – It’s a plane! – It’s Superman!
“Yes. It’s Superman, strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way.”
Superman was my superhero until I got married and Judy told me that he was not real. She told me that Superman did not have x-ray vision, he wasn’t affected by kryptonite, and that he really never flew up in the sky over the Daily Planet!
Honestly, I really did know that Superman was not real before I met Judy. But as foolish as that sounded, it is just as foolish when Christians believe that men and women of the Bible were “strange visitor(s) from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.” It is just as crazy to believe that they somehow received superhuman powers that are unattainable for Christians today. It is ill-advised to read through God’s Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11 and think, ‘I could never do that!!’
If we don’t see God in each one of these heroes of the faith, we cheat God as well as give the Bible characters way too much credit. Look at Daniel for example. Look at what happened leading up to that day when the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. Daniel 6:16
When Daniel found out that King Darius had signed the edict saying it was against the law to pray to anyone but the king, this was Daniels response: Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)
- Daniel’s first response was to go to God (Now when Daniel learned…)
- Daniel was in the habit of praying (…3 times a day…)
- Daniel submitted himself to God (…got down on his knees…)
- Daniel knew that this was way beyond his strengths and abilities (…and prayed…)
- Daniel understood that God had this covered (…giving thanks to his God.)
Daniel had no intentions on turning his back on God, although he must have been frightened to death. I can only imagine how Daniel thought God would protect him, and my guess would be that God didn’t respond as Daniel had anticipated. I would be very surprised if it ever crossed Daniel’s mind to ask God to close the lions mouths later that day.
In this story we see that it wasn’t Daniel’s courage that got him through this. It wasn’t King Darius having a change of heart and Superman did not fly in and save the day. What we do see is that God was all over it.
I don’t know what you are facing right now, but if you are a Christian know that you are not facing this alone. Also know that these spiritual choices that Daniel made, were not made because of the moment, these spiritual choices were habits that had become a part of His life, “just as he had done before.”
We would all do well to remember that there is only one Superhero, and His name is God, and He can do so much more than Superman ever could!!
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
