The old stories and myths, are at times misguided, but nevertheless
they steer us toward the true harbor. They are echoes; anticipations of the full truth. ~J.R.R Tolkien, “On Fairy Stories”

We went and saw Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella the other day. I admit I cried a few times. Not just because of the story though, but because of the story that the story made me think about. A princess – a bride to be from the beginning – from a messed up, estranged, not perfect past, is wooed by a would-be king. After a a period of suffering, peppered with some magical moments (because life is made up of both) she finally marries her prince – who is now a king. The final scene is them in front of the entire kingdom getting married as the kingdom celebrates.

I didn’t go in looking for a deeper level but I was struck by this final, climactic scene and it reminded me of the end of the world’s story. “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters…crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns…for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his Bride has made herself ready; ⁸ it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.⁹ And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:6-9).

The story of the Bible, all of history, and our very lives, is all about a King, fighting to woo a bride to himself which he will one day marry at the end of all things. This story has both moments of pain and sorrow, where we too, like the protagonist, have parents and friends that die and leave us alone; and moments where we give up. But there are magical moments of our lives too – the birth of our children, or our children’s children, the experience of knowing God, etc.,

And knowing this final scene is coming can help get us through the difficult moments. The king marries us – if we let him – knowing our imperfect, messy, even dirty, past.

There will be a wedding between the king and his bride in front of a celebrating kingdom.

And you are invited.