I loved fairy tales growing up. Still do. I especially enjoy good fantasy novels where the heroes overcome impossible odds to save the world from some evil, oppressive tyrant. As a young teenager, I couldn’t get enough of these stories. And I loved to daydream. Whenever I was bored, I would simply imagine myself as a hero in one of these tales, slaying dragons and rescuing princesses.

Most of these stories pretty much followed a remarkably similar plot structure. They begin in a happy kingdom, with a wonderful and honorable king who has a beautiful daughter and life is good for everyone. Yet somehow in spite of this, there is always someone in some dark corner who hates this king and has dedicated his life to finding a way to destroy him and his kingdom. Eventually, he accumulates enough power and resources to put his nefarious plan into action. Unable to attack this great king directly, our villain goes after his lovely daughter.

Upon realizing his daughter has been kidnapped by his enemy, the king puts out a call to his kingdom for a champion to step forward and mount a rescue. Once the news goes out, a valiant warrior boldly steps forward and vows to destroy this enemy and bring the king’s daughter back unharmed. He rides a great distance, braving the elements and the hardships of travel, to the very gates of this wicked tyrant behind which the princess is bound, held captive in a tower. The villain torments her with threats of impending doom, assuring her that everything she loves or could ever hope for is now forever lost to her.

The hero easily crashes through the gates, eager to climb the tower and rescue the maiden but upon entering the fortress, he is confronted by a beast so terrifying, no mortal man can stand against it. This creature towers over the champion, covered from head to toe with thick scales, teeth the size of swords, claws as sharp as spears, a whip-like tail, breathing smoke and fire, forged from the pit of hell itself. The warrior dismounts, draws his sword, and advances on the beast for not only did he make a vow to his king, but he is also deeply in love with the princess.

Hours later, the smoke clears. The ground is littered with bits of broken armor still smoldering from the brutal conflict as the figure of a man covered in blood and soot steps down from the carcass of the slain beast. Despite his broken bones and ribs, he makes his way to the tower and proceeds to climb, coughing up blood with every step. He reaches the princess with strength enough to break her chains, setting her free. How grateful the princess would be after seeing how much the hero suffered for her! Surely, she must know now, beyond a doubt how much he loves her and that she can trust in him completely.

I have come to realize that this story is in fact the story of my life, only not how I imagined it in my youth. In my daydreams, I was always the hero. I was fearless. I slew dragons and I rescued princesses. The king and his entire kingdom would celebrate me and reward me for my courageous exploits. What vanity! No, it turns out in this story, my true life story, I was the damsel in distress. I had been taken captive. I was being held prisoner and I was very much afraid. I could not even escape my own chains let alone fight my way past a towering hell beast. I was completely without hope.

But God sent forth a hero, His champion and Son Jesus Christ. At the beginning of His quest, He announces His purpose to the world in Luke 4:18-19 by reading from Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Christ followed His reading with an announcement that this prophecy was fulfilled that very day. Yes, Christ himself was the hero sent from God to deliver us from our oppression and captivity.

The Apostle Paul confirms this in Colossians 1:13-14 which reads “For He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and He has brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son. God has purchased our freedom with His blood and has forgiven all our sins.” Through the sacrifice He made on my behalf, He demonstrated how much He loved me and I know I can trust in Him completely and am confident that my story ends with “and they lived happily ever after.” Like King David in the 23rd Psalm, I too can say, “Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” The fairy tale is true!