LOOKING FOR A HERO?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
(Revelation 19:16)

MEDITATION:
Think back to the time when you were a kid playing outside.
There were many games we played such as tag, red rover, hide
and seek, etc. Sometimes we would even get into role playing
where we wanted to imitate our hero (Superman, famous cowboy,
singer, etc.).

As adults, we still think of those who inspire us, and sometimes
we try to imitate them. There are many to choose from including
motivational speakers, evangelists, outstanding athletes, performing
stars, etc. They provide us with goals for achieving greatness in the
eyes of others (or maybe just for increasing our self-esteem).

We can be disappointed whenever we fail in our efforts, but we
should never be discouraged if we choose the right hero to mimic.
If you’re looking for a hero, His name is Jesus. There has never
been a man like the Lord Jesus. How holy, how pure, how sinless
is the Lord Jesus Christ.

He set the standards
    for becoming righteous and pleasing to our Heavenly Father,
    for finding joy and peace in our lives,
    for motivating others to have a desire to know Him,
    for interacting with others in a positive way,
    for having the right attitudes,
    for developing self-control,
    for setting goals for ourselves,
    for finding a purpose for living, etc. etc.

John Philips wrote some words about Jesus that are deeply stirring.
He said,
    “His life was perfectly holy. He never looked with lust.
     He never uttered a hasty, unkind, untrue or frivolous word.
     He never entertained an impure thought.
     He was never accused by conscience.
     Never inflamed by wrongful passion.
     Never out of step with the will of God.
     His time was never wasted.
     His talents never debased for selfish ends.
     His influence, never bad.
     His judgment, never wrong.
     He never had to apologize for anything
     that He did or retract a single word He said.
     He was never too late or too soon,
     never upset, never insipid, never shallow or afraid.
     From the summit of the mount of transfiguration He
     could have stepped straight into glory.
     He had absolute victory from the moment He drew his
     first breath in that Bethlehem barn until the moment He
     closed His eyes in death on the cross of Calvary.”

ACTION:
Rather than choosing some person as the one you want to mimic,
choose Jesus instead and strive to become more like Him. The
benefits are much greater for you, and for those around you.
What could be greater than having a positive impact on others?
In the process of becoming more like Him, life will become more
exciting and have more meaning, as you discover a purpose for living.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son,
Jesus, to show me how I can live a life that is more
pleasing to You. Forgive me for choosing others as
my life model and ignoring the one I should be trying
to imitate. Thank You for Your Word which shows me
the kind of characteristics, habits, actions, attitudes,
and goals I should be striving to achieve in my own life.
Help me to totally surrender to the Lord. Show me how
to have better self-control, so that I can be less selfish,
have a greater concern for others, and realize the impact
I can have on them when they know my faith is real.”

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com