Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 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. and you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said ot him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

–John 14:1-7

It doesn’t happen often, but every now and again, I get a bit of a craving for watching really cheesy, old live-action fairy tales. The kind with horrible special effects and even worse melodramatic acting.

It’s got to be the nostalgic feeling they give me (mostly because they don’t have much else working in their favor). But I do have to give them credit for one thing that those movies get right. They do a great job of milking the scene where the hero rescues the princess and makes a way for them to be together.

The entire movie, one thing after another, came between them. She was probably kidnapped and locked away somewhere. There might be a curse that has to be broken. But whatever the case, the hero had to go through trial after trial to make his way to his love and bridge the gap between them.

That’s why, at the end of the movie, when the lovebirds are finally together again, it is supremely satisfying to watch them embrace and celebrate their reunification.

This common fairy tale trope also hints at one of the ways God has miraculously chosen us. Not only did He choose to make us in His image and then choose to be our God despite how He knew it would turn out, but He also chose to bridge the gap between us. Even though it’s a gap (more of a chasm, really) of our own making.

The story of the Gospel truly is the most extraordinary of fairy tales. Our Savior didn’t just have to go on a journey to find us. He had to give up all of Heaven. He had to submit to the pain, discomfort, and uncertainty of human life. He had to live a perfect life. And ultimately, He had to drag a cross up a hill and offer up His last breath as our ransom.

He didn’t just have to fight monsters or evil men in power to bring us home. He took on Satan himself after being pushed to the physical limit. He had to go toe to toe with legions of demons and confront all the death and brokenness that came about because of sin.

Our hero went further and did more in the pursuit of rescuing us than anyone we could ever dream up in a fairy tale. And if that wasn’t miraculous enough? According to this passage, He did it all for the simple pleasure of being able to bring us home. He sacrificed so much so that He could be the bridge that makes a way for us to come back home.

Given this truth, what better gift can we offer our Savior than to draw closer to Him? This week, let’s be aware, looking for ways where the Lord is leading us to let go of earthly things to pursue Him more. Instead of watching another episode of the show you’re binging, spend some time in prayer. Instead of scrolling on the phone, take some time to study the Bible.

However we do it, let’s find a way to thank Him for all He’s done by enjoying the fellowship we have access to because of His sacrifice.