“And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory…Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” ~ 1 Peter 5:4, 8
“Two whole years passed since the marriage of the prince and princess, and during that time they had two children. The first, a daughter, was called ‘Dawn,’ while the second, a boy, was named ‘Day,’ because he seemed even more beautiful than his sister. Many a time the queen [our prince’s mother] told her son that he ought to settle down in life. She tried in this way to make him confide in her, but he did not dare to trust her with his secret. Despite the affection which he bore her, he was afraid of his mother, for she came of a race of ogres…”[1]
This is where the story gets a little strange. The first half of Perrault’s version is our “standard” Sleeping Beauty tale…but this? This seems more in line with Shrek than any “standard” fairy tale. I mean, the prince is half ogre! Unlike our loveable Shrek, however, ogres in the 17th century were children-eating creatures (although somehow our prince manages to escape those cravings…the text says nothing about him being an ogre or wanting to eat his own children).
Yes, our prince has much to worry about, and he is right to tarry in the claiming of his bride.
But did Sleeping Beauty understand why she was waiting? Judging by the rest of the story, I don’t think so.
Just as we do not know or understand why our King tarries in coming back to reclaim us, His Bride. We are in the waiting gap, just as our Sleeping Beloved is.
Sleeping Beauty is royalty, but has not yet come into her own as the bride of the heir. She has been saved and awakened from her sleeping death, and yet there is still evil lurking, literally seeking to devour her children. The king’s son has arrived…and yet she is often alone, for he must return to his own kingdom from time to time. She is waiting, with no end in sight.
We are royalty for we are adopted by God through the blood of Christ, and yet we have not yet come into our own (Gal. 3:26). We are saved and redeemed, and yet there is still evil lurking, trying to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). The King’s Son has arrived…and yet He’s not here (1 Peter 5:4). He left for a time, and although we know He’s coming back, we often feel alone. We are waiting, with no end in sight.
Why does He tarry? Doesn’t He know the heartache we’re suffering? Doesn’t He see the violence and hate running rampant through our world?
Yes, dear one, He does. But just like our fairy tale prince, Jesus tarries so that when He does bring us into His kingdom, we will come with full triumphal glory. Like Sleeping Beauty, we may not know the reasons for the delay; but we can be assured of our “unfading crown of glory” that is to come…
Sources
[1] Dore, Perrault’s Fairy Tales, p. 16
