It's good to be back.

Well, it's good to be back. After a too-long hiatus, I've decided it's time to start blogging again. A lot has happened and yet not much at all. Some of it very important and some of it not at all. At any rate, it's time for me to get back into the swing of things for the Master.

In my hometown, we recently lost a young firefighter who died from injuries he sustained while trying to help someone escape a fire in her home. Sadly, the woman he was trying to rescue also died in the fire.

Many people in our town have been calling this young man a hero. I have to agree he was. So, too, was another firefighter who was also injured at the scene. Fortunately, this second man survived, though he will have scars for the rest of his life, both seen and unseen. Still, the tragic death of this young man and the woman he was trying to save got me thinking about what a hero really is.

I started thinking about the greatest hero of all, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray they both knew Him in life, and now know Him better still.

Webster's Dictionary defines a hero and heroic in several ways:

• a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
• a man admired for his achievement and noble qualities
• one that shows great courage
• the central figure in an event, period, or movement
• an object of extreme admiration and devotion
• supremely noble or self-sacrificing

Christ fits the bill. The Bible evidences:

Divine descent: Jesus was the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. He performed many miracles, healed the sick. Raised the dead. He, Himself, rose from the dead.

A man admired for his achievement and noble qualities: He lived a sinless life. He was tempted to the utmost, and remained blameless.

One that shows great courage: Christ knew he would be tortured and killed, yet remained in steadfast submission to The Father's will.

The central figure in an event, period, or movement: Christ's time on Earth ushered in a new era, and established a new covenant between God and man, providing us a bridge back to fellowship with The Father, and setting the stage for the coming of His Kingdom.

An object of extreme admiration and devotion: Well, He had better be. No one in history was nor will any one in the future be as worthy of our admiration and devotion.

Supremely noble or self-sacrificing: The Lamb of God without blemish, Christ provided the ultimate sacrifice to save us all from our sins. He died horribly on the Cross that we might be saved and once again be accepted by The Father.

A hero? Jesus Christ is THE hero.

He is my hero. He saved my life.

If you ask Him to, He will save your life, too. That's what a hero does.

With Easter only a week away, now is as good a time as any, better than most, to pray to the Lord for salvation. Please invite Jesus to be the Lord of your life or renew your commitment to Him today.

Amen.