The Beautiful, The Base, and The Beloved.

Lately God has been revealing to me how much like a fairy tale the whole story of earth is. From Genesis to revelations, is a beautiful enrapturing story in which there are protagonists, antagonists, twists, turns, surprises, cliches, frustrations, heart-throbs, life-changing decisions, and the most well put-together plot ever. All in all the very story of time itself (especially that of which recorded in the bible) is quite an on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller/romance/comedy/horror/fantasy/sci-fi/action flick! And the best part? It has a happy ending. :)
Yes, the story of the bible and God's involvement in our lives is all of these things. But, like I said earlier, God has really been revealing to me the romantic side of it. It's quite beautiful. A modern day fairy tale.
You see, it goes a little like this: (Note: this is quite an abbreviation! God has shown me a lot more than this and, well, lets just say there's a lot of story to all of time...it would take all of time to tell it...I only have a few paragraphs.)

Imagine first our hero: The perfect guy. His name is...well, he has many names, but for the sake of our story we will go with Josh. :) (In the Bible, Jesus' actually name was Yeshua translated Joshua. So for the sake of you not thinking this is too cliche cause it's all about Jesus we'll call him Josh. Gives a new perspective no?)
Josh has an enemy who hates him, named Stan. But we'll get to Stan later
Josh is as good as it gets. Handsome, loving, loyal, romantic, has an awesome style, good hair, and all around is the best guy ever. He has no faults. And He's in love. The girls name is Christine ( ok I know, a bit cliche.) Anyway, She's beautiful. Lovely. The image of perfection. She's simple and free and desperately in love with Joshua. They are beyond happy together. They have no care in the world. They're engaged. :)
Then something happens. Josh is going along one day and decides to drop by her house and see how she is. But when he walks in, he finds her cheating with someone else. Stan. (Did I mention Stan is really hott?)
Josh is crushed, Christine's ashamed, and their engagement is broken off. It feels like the world is ending.
They go their separate ways. But Josh never really gives up on her. He's continually trying to draw her back. Giving her offerings of love. But she is bitter. She's convinced he's too perfect and she doesn't want him anymore. She looks for love elsewhere. She drinks. She parties. She sins. She runs the opposite direction. Following the crowd of the one she first cheated with. The one she supposedly "loves" now. Yet, through all of this torment, Josh still loves her. He fights for her. She fights him. She kicks, screams, taunts and insults him. Yet still he love her. He does get angry at times, and at times she almost seems ready to repent, but never whole-heartedly. Finally, she's so far into her sin, it entraps her. She's been kidnapped, held for ransom in the darkest part of the slums, by Stan. He is trying to get back at Josh, whom he hates.
Josh immediately goes to rescue her. He navigates the dark alley-ways, wades through the trash filled streets, fights his way through muggers and dogs trying just to get to her. Finally, he finds her, but just as he picks up her drugged body to take her home, she wakes up and starts to struggle. She doesn't understand that Stan has kidnapped her. She doesn't know why in the world she's in these slums, but whatever it is, she doesn't want Josh's help! Shes tired of him. She just wants Josh to get away and let her make her own choices. She's bitter, fed up and angry. And as she sees Stan running out after them she, in a fit of blazing anger, helps Stan to brutally murder Josh. When it is done, Stan sneers in triumph and then suddenly runs off, leaving Christine in the street. He doesn't need her for ransom anymore. He got what he wanted. Christine tries to call him back, but she can't run after him. She is alone, lost, and confused. The life she thought she wanted just left her alone to die in the street. Hitting rock-bottom, her head clears and she's finally remorseful. She's stares in the pale face of her once beloved and cries. She wails. She cries herself to sleep. No hope of being rescued.
In the morning she awakes. Not dead yet. When she looks around she realizes Josh's body is gone. She cries and yells at the cold stone walls around her. What has Stan done to him now?
Wiping her eyes with her dirty hands she starts to get up. A familiar soft voice softly speaks behind her; "Don't be afraid, I still love you." She whirls around and sees the impossible. Josh, standing, unhurt, shining with open arms. Ecstatic she runs, dirty, smudged, and forsaken to her lover. They are together at last! But this story doesn't end with them riding off into the sunset.
The engagement is back on now, but that doesn't mean she is perfect. The difference now, is that she's really trying. Stan still gets to her sometimes. She still stumbles. But the amazing love and grace which was shown to her by Josh always draws her back.
It's a long engagement. Josh has to leave for awhile and earn enough to provide for her. He is building them a simply beautiful house to surprise her with. At times though, Stan still tries to fight him. Always over Christine. But Josh never fails to win and drive him away.
And though long in the coming, there is a happy ending. Besides, there has to be. It's a love story. :)

I'm not claiming this story is completely biblically accurate. It's just the romantic version God has revealed somewhat to me. It can be set in any time period you want. And it can probably do with some minor changes. But that's the story. The story of the love of the beloved, compared to that of the deceptive charm of a one night stand. The love of God which lasts forever, and the fleeting happiness of this world. Which do you want?