Last night I watched Justice League. I used the watch the cartoon as a kid, but this version was decidedly darker and did not include Zan and Jayna. ("Wonder Twin powers – activate!")
Ever since dressing up as Wonder Woman for Halloween long ago, I have always had an affinity for Diana Prince. I loved the Wonder Woman movie with Gal Gadot, and she did not disappoint in Justice League. Neither did Jason Momoa, but that's another story.
The plot for Justice League is the usual good v. evil, but it had a distinctively familiar feel to it.
Superman is dead, and with him gone the world plummets into evil and lawlessness. This depravity allows for Steppenwolf, horned helmet and all, to return and try to take over the universe. Batman connects with Wonder Woman as they try to build a team to fight Steppenwolf and save Earth.
But they don't feel strong enough or confident enough to beat him, even with the addition of Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman. So they bring Superman back from the dead.
I woke up this morning thinking about Justice League. Today is Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified. The day He took all of our sins to the cross once and for all. Two thousand years ago His disciples and followers thought all hope was lost as their beloved teacher took His last breath and uttered, "It is finished."
But with our Savior's death, the world did not plummet into sin and lawlessness. We were already there. We are still there. And He is our only way out. He is our only hope. We don't need superheroes to act as God when we have God Himself. We have access to Him through Jesus, as His Holy Spirit lives in us once we accept Him.
While we were yet sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:8). We didn't deserve it and we didn't earn it. Nothing we could possibly do would be enough to save ourselves. That's why Jesus came. That's why we need Him. He did it for love.
Love paid the price.
And when Jesus said "It is finished" on the cross, He meant it.
Hopelessness is finished.
Shame is finished.
Pain is finished.
Cancer is finished.
Brokenness is finished.
Pride is finished.
Tears are finished.
Loneliness is finished.
Abuse is finished.
Anxiety is finished.
Confusion is finished.
Uncertainty is finished.
If you know Jesus, your eternal salvation is secure. You are known and you are loved.
What Jesus did on the cross is the single most important event in all of history, in the past and in the future, for all mankind, for all time.
"He will swallow up death for all time,
And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 25:8).
Good Friday is so, so good for those of us who believe. If you want to know more about Jesus, and why you are so special to Him, please email me (silva@onmyshoebox.com).
I'm definitely no Wonder Woman, but I do have a hero. He saved me, and He can save you, too.
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