No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:13-21)
We are, all of us, in a high tower built by our own hands, and awaiting release. Our burden is twofold, then: first, to recognize our prison for what it is, and second, to recognize the One who can set us free. This Jesus, so great was His love, he willingly allowed Himself to be lifted up -- nailed to a cross -- and killed as an atonement for our sin. He offers His forgiveness, the price for everything we've ever done or ever will, paid in full, and asks nothing in return but that we love Him back.
Today is "Read a Fairy Tale Day." So why not start with the greatest of all of them -- greater still because it really happened, and is happening today -- the story of a God who loved us so much, He sent His son, a King, to bring us back to His side. It doesn't get any more "happily ever after," after all, than an eternity at the side of a God who loves you enough to die.
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