My six year old was happily surprised when, after watching The Little Mermaid tonight, I told her that for our devotion tonight we would be talking about Ariel. My heart was happy that she could quickly identify King Triton as representation of God. He ruled over the sea, he loved his daughter and had her best in mind. My daughter also could see how Ursula, the sea witch, represented Satan. She wanted the King's position, to rule over the sea and its creatures.
Ariel, I explained, also represents someone in God's story: you and me. The young mermaid chased after and was enamored by what she desired. She wandered from her father's safe boundary and found herself drawn to the charming Prince Eric. She became so enamored with Eric that she willing to sell her voice to the Sea Witch and thus become her "slave" for the temporary and conditional "gift" of human legs. Of course, Ursula was playing Ariel all along, and through trickery and deceit, she would not allow Ariel to succeed. Try as she may, Ariel was unable to meet Ursula's conditions and win Eric's heart, represented by true love's first kiss. According to the agreement, Ursula could then turn Ariel into a miserable, wailing weed stuck to the ocean floor.
Satan draws us, too, with things that appear to be irresistible. The father of lies does not deceive us with his true identity of death and destruction. Instead, we are drawn to our "too good to be true" Prince Eric. The apparent promise of happiness allows Satan to draw us in, away from God's best, and ultimately it leads to misery and death.
"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ro. 6:23).
My daughter recently quoted this verse for her AWANA Sparks class. I was able to explain that Ariel's choices were not King Triton's best for her, just like sometimes we choose something that is not God's best for us--sin. The result of our sin, like the result of Ariel's choices, leads us to big time trouble. "But the gift of God is eternal life.." Ariel received a free gift, too. Her father took her place; he took her punishment and became a miserable sea weed in her place. We receive God's free gift of eternal life because we have no way to get out of the trouble our sin has caused for us. He took the punishment we deserve, but that's not the end!
Satan, death and sin could not defeat our Holy God. He rose again and brings us life. King Triton, similarly, did not remain a miserable sea weed. He turned back into the King and gave to Ariel a life better than she could have hoped for!
Each and every story that has the essential elements of a plot can be aligned with God's One Perfect Story. The main character, the villian, the crisis, the Savior. God is Truth, and His great story of salvation is reflected in so many aspects of life.
In much simpler terms I attempted to explain how God's story of salvation is reflected in a story she loves, and I think she understood. My hope is that she will come to see God's truth in everything around her! "We should do more devotions like that, mom!" my baby girl whispered as I tucked her into bed.
May we also daily seek and find His Truth in every situation!
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