Call for a hero . . .

This morning I was reading Psalm 10. It is what movies are made of. Evil is rampant, destruction is everywhere, the villain arrogantly laughs and thinks nothing could  stop him . . . there are victims and despair.  And then. . . David calls out for a hero. And God answers.

Do you feel despair? Have you been overlooked, rejected, misunderstood, hurt? Has someone not encouraged your growth or maturity or progress because they felt intimidated or threatened by you? Has someone held you back because of their selfish needs? Do you feel that no one really understands you? No one really has enough love to give you what you need?

Probably. If we are honest, we can probably all say 'yes'.

After Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, after he was tempted by Satan with all the temptations that are common to us too, he stood up in the temple and read this from an old scroll - stating that what he was reading was coming true right in that moment - in him. Basically, Jesus was saying: I am that hero you have been waiting for.

 "God's Spirit is on me; he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "This is God's year to act!" Luke 4:18-19

Remember today, that the best story is one of redemption. The best moment is when it looks so bleak, so dark, so dismal that it would appear hope is nowhere to be found. And then . . . call out for a hero!

"Lord Jesus, we pray ordinary prayers, boring prayers to you - thinking that we are doing our duty properly. But when we read the Psalms and see David's cry for a hero . . . there is more we can say in our prayers than tidy words. Give us courage to pray like we mean it! To admit our despair or loneliness or pain. When you said you came to set the prisoners free, and give sight to the blind - oh God we need that! We are burdened, in bondage, trapped and stuck.  Save us. Be our hero! Here is my cry for You today . . . "