The Hero

Bagpipes softly playing. Flags are lowered everywhere. Verses from the Bible. Rifles fire in the air. The flag slowly folded in a military style and presented to the family seated all the while. Each rose is placed so gently by mourners as they cry. They leave behind a hero, so very young to die.

We honor these great Americans, their love for the red, white and blue. Our hearts should beat with thankfulness as we start each day anew!

We reverence another hero, who came from heaven above. His selfless mission caption should be entitled LOVE. Never a finer person would ever walk the earth. A path that began in a stable and with a virgin birth. A greater love story the world will never see! God incarnate coming to redeem fallen humanity.

He was called “The Nazarene” and Jesus was his name. The path that lay before him was filled with hatred and disdain. In the little town of Bethany he raised Lazarus from the dead and with the contents of a lunch bag—5000 were fully fed.

But a kiss from a betrayer and the mob took him away. Given a mockery of a trial where Jesus had very little to say. Jesus or Barabbas? Who would the crowd’s choice be? “Crucify Jesus and set the murderer free.”

His body so savagely treated and nailed to a cross to die. The greatest suffering for our sins was hidden from our eye. A thief on a cross cried out in faith, “Lord remember me!” The Lord assured him that this day in paradise he would be.

As the earth shook, darkness reigned and a centurion came to see, this is no ordinary man—God’s only Son is he!

So where will we spend eternity? We must answer carefully. Our faith relating to Jesus will determine our destiny. People can still find forgiveness in this troubled world today and heaven still rejoices when a sinner kneels to pray!!

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13