Hero Worship

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

-- Psalm 28:7

According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, Hollywood has released more than 100 motion pictures involving comic book superheroes since 1978. The worldwide popularity of these amazing characters--and their easy translation into ticket sales--helps to explain their abundance. In fact, Guardians of the Galaxy broke the record this month as the highest-grossing debut for any August movie release: an astounding $94 million!

Just how popular is the superhero movie genre? BoxOfficeMojo says that combined ticket sales have exceeded $11.7 billion over the last 36 years, with much more to come through titles like Captain America 3 and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

In the movies, a superhero always seems to be around when disaster strikes or a villain is on the loose. But in the real world, The Fantastic Four and Iron Man can't do much about the hardships of life. Illnesses strike, relationships fail and that which seemed solid turns to dust in our hands. What we desperately need is something--or Someone--who's utterly dependable, unwavering and trustworthy.

Jesus paints a vivid picture of this universal quest through His story about a foolish man who built a house on shifting sands. When a storm struck, the rains came and the winds blew with fury. It's no surprise that this flimsy structure collapsed with a great crash. But a wise man in comparison built his house on a Foundation of solid rock. So when the storm clouds of life boiled across the horizon, that house withstood even the heaviest downpour.

This leads to the obvious question: Are you counting on your money or friendships to come to the rescue when the storms of life thunder overhead? You shouldn't. Bank accounts and investments can disappear overnight, and so-called friends tend to grow scarce when times get tough. The best plan is to trust in God and call on Him in both good times and bad. Better than the most powerful superhero, He's the One of limitless strength and resources. And He can literally save the day.

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust," we read in Psalms, "who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."