Today, a new story about The Navy Seals is in the news. Apparently, a group of US Special forces that includes members of Naval Special Warfare Development Group (formerly known as SEAL Team Six that killed Bin Laden) performed a daring rescue of Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted, two aid workers in Somalia during the night last night. These stories captivate our attention. The courage, tenacity, and ability of these soldiers and their daring missions are the stuff of Hollywood. But why do we love these stories so much?
The answer to this question is not the same answer as to why we love our iPods so much. Steve Jobs famously said that people often “don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” No, people do not have to be shown a hero to know that they want one. There is something in our souls, deep from within that cries out against injustice in the world and craves a savior, a redeemer, a rescuer.
Bonnie Tyler (yes I went there) sought it out in the arms of a man. We find comfort in heroes of our world, both real and the Hollywood version.We tell and re-tell the Navy Seal stories and Seal Team Six members are practically celebrities. And who couldn’t help but cheer Liam Neeson in Taken hoping that they could do the same if their own daughter was in danger.
But there is more. There is something larger that cries out for deliverance and salvation. Augustine said it this way,
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you
In Romans 8, Paul tells us that all of creation
waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
You see, we love the Navy Seals and crave their stories because we all need a hero. Every inch of our being and all of creation cries out for salvation. We are in need of a savior to rescue us. We are lost, we are alone, we are weak, but Jesus is strong. He came, not merely as a teacher or prophet, he came as the Son of God proclaiming the good news of the gospel,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
In his first advent Christ overcame Satan with the cross and the empty tomb, but he is coming again, and this time as a triumphant king with a flaming sword in his hand. He is the great redeemer, the great rescuer. He is our hero. We love hero stories because they are shadows of the greater rescue that we need and that, as believers, we have experienced. The heroes of this world pale in comparison to the Great King who saves all who will call upon his name.
