The Fairy Tale Ending

                                                                               

I find it interesting how children love a good fairy tale.  The best kind of story is one that involves a kingdom, a dashing prince on a swift steed wielding a glistening sword to slay a fierce dragon and rescue a fair maiden, and then, a ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after.       

For us adults the details of our fantasies can change, but the overall plot remains. There is no story that engages us deeper than a selfless hero triumphing over evil and rescuing a lover from certain death. 

Why is that?    It is almost as if we as humans have a yearning in our soul to be part of such a story.

It seems to be wired into us.

The story below may be able to answer where this common denominator of a good story came from, and why it is so appealing to us humans.

                                                                                The Story

 Once upon a time, there was a Prince. He was the most upright and noble person to ever live. There was no one greater than He, save his Father, the King of all the land.

In the process of time, the Prince came to love a poor peasant girl who was well below His social class. Not only was she a peasant, but she was also a prisoner, for she had committed a crime, the penalty for which was death.  The Prince, although innocent of any wrongdoing, volunteered to take her place and be tortured to death so that she could live.   And this He did gladly.

After He was dead, the King, being much pleased by His Son’s selflessness, and moved by love for his Son and the peasant girl, performed a miracle and revived the Prince. 

The couple was soon betrothed, and the Prince set out to build a palace for the two of them to live once they were married.

Before He left, He made her a temporary home: a tent. It was no ordinary tent that He made her; it was an artistic masterpiece, both to show His love for her, and also to impress her with His skill. He then assigned an army of trusted warriors to protect and comfort her in His absence.  Finally, He created a line of instant communication so that she could reach him day or night.

Now there was in the land a cruel and cunning dragon who enjoyed nothing more than to hunt and destroy unsuspecting people. He soon put his sights on the Prince’s bride-to-be.

Because of the warriors protecting her he knew that a violent assault would surely fail.  So he slandered her to the local people and turned them against her. He then tried to call her attention to the things that she did not have: a husband, a house of her own, and riches to be coveted by all.  He also encouraged her to see other suitors and ,to not be loyal to the Prince.

But alas! She remained faithful to the Prince, and indeed, her love for Him grew stronger. She defiantly told the dragon that she would rather die than betray the One whom she loved, the One who had done so much for her. 

One day the Prince returned without warning to get His bride. She was still there waiting for Him despite the dragon's best efforts. 

The two of them rode away on white horses. And they lived happily ever after.

I am sure that by now many of you have realized that this is not just a fairy tale.  This is real. The way I have presented this story is far from exhaustive, and many things have been left out. It was not my intention to make light of this story, but rather to look at it from a different angle than we are used to. 

There are two main lessons we can learn from this story. 

1. Thankfulness is imperative. 

This story might have had a very different ending had the peasant girl begun to covet what other people had, or to forget what all the Prince had done for her.

We are the peasant girl. We were under the death penalty, and Messiah gladly took our place.  

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him [procuring us, His bride] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV).

The Price has gone to prepare a place for us. 

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2‭-‬3 NKJV).

The Prince has made us a temporary home. 

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (II Corinthians 5:1 NKJV).

Our bodies are artistic masterpieces. The more you study the human body with all of its intricacies and beauty (some more than others),  the more in awe of Him you have to be.  All of this physical world that He has created for us, just as a temporary home-a tent-is quite impressive. 

The Prince has also assigned an army of warriors to protect us.

“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them” (Psalms 34:7 NKJV).

And the line of instant communication that He has given us is, of course, prayer. Think of it! We have the ability to reach the Creator of the universe and talk to Him as a trusted friend any time we want!

We have all this and much much more to be thankful for. 

2. It is a love story.  

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:9‭-‬10 NKJV).

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God…” (I John 3:1 NKJV).

God’s  love for us is also evident in the countless wonders of His creation, and in His plan for mankind. 

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9 NKJV).

So, if you are feeling unthankful, if you are going through difficulties in life, if you are discouraged by all of the wickedness in this world, or even if you are having a hard time recognizing God’s love for you,  remember this story. And go outside and look up at the night sky, to see the roof of the tent that He has made for you.       

“For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37 NKJV).