Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time.

We all love those words. Those words promise a love story and we all long for romance.

Truth be told, I yearn to live a Cinderella story. I secretly hope someone will come and whisk me away from the ashes – from my humdrum life. I picture my dowdy clothes being changed into a beautiful gown. I imagine the prince choosing – me.

But that kind of thing only happens in fairy tales. Right?

Actually, God has been reminding me that I am smack dab in the middle of a breathtaking, astonishing love story right now. His Word is the crazy tale of a Prince who proved His love by giving up His cushy life in heaven, living on this dusty earth, and dying so that I could be with Him forever. Jesus chose me to be His bride. His grace – like the fairy godmother – transforms me, giving me a perfect gown of righteousness.

The problem is that I don’t always live like the princess I am.

Even though I have felt the Prince’s love and danced in His grace, I sometimes doubt His affection. I look at my soot-stained life ask myself, “How could He love plain old me?”

Maybe you can relate. Looking at our ordinary lives filled with activities as thrilling as changing diapers and washing dishes and buying groceries, it’s easy to forget—in God’s kingdom we are all princesses. Staring at our mishaps, our mistakes, our out and out sins, we doubt the Prince could find us attractive.

That’s when we might subconsciously try to earn His love. We attempt to do big things that will make us worthy of the Prince. We try to make our own beautiful gowns out of success or good deeds.

Somehow, that never works. Thankfully, it isn’t even necessary.

In the Great Love Story, our Prince tells us over and over of His love for us. Because sometimes we doubt. Because sometimes we forget. Because sometimes we listen to Satan’s lies that we are unlovable.

Listen to His words of love:

• You are precious to me and honored, and I love you. (Isaiah 43:4 LB)
• I have loved you with an everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3)
• Grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:18b)
• How beautiful and pleasant you are, O loved one, with all your delights! (Song of Songs 7:6)

The Prince doesn’t love me because of my success, my accomplishments, or even my ability to serve Him.

He loves me because I am His. And He wants me to see myself as the beloved, the much-loved princess, walking hand in hand with Him.

So live out your story with the Prince. Even though it may be hard to recognize your own royalty when you are washing dishes crusted with grease, remember you are a princess in God’s kingdom. Don’t doubt it for a minute.

Live your love story.