Happily Ever After

I love fairy tales!  I grew up on "Once upon a time...".  My favorite is... well, I'm not sure! ;)  I am inspired by the sweet spirits of Cinderella, Snow White, Two-Eyes and others, in the midst of the harsh treatment they receive at the hands those who SHOULD be protecting them.  I cheer for the prince, or pauper who rides in to save the day.  And I smile & sigh when I get to the "happily ever after".



Sadly, most stories geared toward adults don't have "happily ever afters".  I am always disappointed to get to the end of a story and discover that the hero doesn't get the girl, the world is not at rights, and things are still just trucking along... =(  I was thinking about fairy tales this morning, maybe because one of the big themes in entertainment recently is to put a new spin on them.  I was also thinking about how much sickness and sadness has touched those I love over the past year, and I was longing for Christ's return.

If we follow the fairy tale analogy, Jesus is the Prince Charming, and the church is the "damsel in distress".  But I was thinking about where on the timeline of the story we'd fit.  Most days it feels to me like I'm still Cinderella scrubbing floors, Sleeping Beauty dreaming, or Rapunzel in the tower.  But as I pondered a bit more, my theology corrected me.  Jesus said "It is finished." on the cross.  His work of redemption is complete!  So in reality, we are just a paragraph from our "happily ever after"!  Lord Jesus, come QUICKLY!!! =)

I don't understand all of this, but I can't wait to find out!

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants." Once more they cried out, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" And from the throne came a voice saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great." Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
Revelation 19:1-8