On this day “Captain America” appeared for the first time in a comic book in 1941.

One of Marvel’s biggest comic book successes and the top-selling superheroes of all time was Captain America. He debuted just prior to America’s entry into World War II, and was a symbol for the wave of public spirit and patriotism that followed Pearl Harbor. Captain America had agility, strength, speed, endurance, and reaction time superior to any human.

But the biggest attraction of this superhero was that Captain America wasn’t born with great power—it had been bestowed upon him as a gift. This champion of freedom started out as Steve Rogers, a scrawny young man who had been rejected by the Army as unfit for service. Then he was given a “strange seething liquid” that turned him into a superhero with extraordinary strength and power. It could happen to anyone—even an ordinary person.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we’re much like Steve Rogers. Spiritually speaking, we’re scrawny, powerless, and unable to save ourselves. But God offers us salvation through his Son, and the power of his Spirit living in us. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened and given all we need to accomplish what God has in store of us. And the best part is that this gift can be given to anyone.

So how can we have access to such a gift? All it takes is a faith that says, “I confess I’m a spiritual weakling. I need a superhero—a Savior—and I accept Jesus as my Lord.” Becoming a Christian means that you can look forward to eternal life in heaven.

That’s much easier than downing a glass of “strange seething liquid,” wouldn’t you agree?

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49).

To Do

Create your own superhero. Give him or her a name, spiritual powers, and a mission. Imagine that this superhero is you!

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Pig Day.

Today is Whuppity Scoorie Day—the Scottish Noise Festival welcoming spring

1872—Yellowstone became the first National park.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.