Jesus, the True Prince Charming

“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. Psalm 146:3-6 NIV

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”  Psalm 146:9 NIV

I love Sunday morning service, singing praises can take me from foul to grateful in a matter of minutes. I often scan the room because it truly fills me with joy to see others moved, showing externally what I am feeling internally- awe, gratitude, the overwhelming sense of belonging. The teenage girls with lifted hands increase my dedication to prayerfully hope that one day I will see my own daughter, arms outstretched, praising because she wants to, not because it is just what she has always done.

I love the new mothers swaying with their babies and the grandmas and grandpas who choose to stay seated. I love the preschoolers laying across three chairs, coloring pictures of Jesus, donut holes tucked safely beside them. I love that even when you're late, you slip in, absolutely welcomed. I love Sunday morning. Sunday morning service is home.

On most Sundays I also notice the married couple. Her arm around his waist, her head tucked into his arm. He gently places his hand on the small of her back.  This beautiful sight makes my heart sink deep into my stomach and leap up into my throat all at the same time. I'm always immediately wrought with guilt because there aren't words to describe how badly I want what I do not have, that gentle touch represents so much to me. Tenderness. Intimacy. Selflessness. A charming, loyal prince committed to his bride.

As young girls, our lives are inundated with images of damsels in distress and princesses awaiting their princes. We grow up believing that happily ever after is the result of being rescued by a charming prince, and riding off into an orange and pink sunset where a perfect marriage with 2.5 kids, an SUV, and a suburban sized backyard await.

If you are a single mom, whether separated, divorced, widowed, or by choice, the world never ceases to remind you that you are only one, and not two. It's not malicious and not always by conscious intention, but the questions about your nonexistent husband are not few and far between. There are reminders of our "oneness" seemingly everywhere.

•  At parent-teacher conferences and parent's night at school
•  During social gatherings and children's birthday parties
•  When a friend posts about being "a single mom this week while the hubby travels for work"
• When you've finally put the kids to bed and there's still a mess to clean up in the kitchen because there's no such thing as "Tag! I cooked, so you're on dish clean up!" 
• When you need someone to help you balance while you're standing on chairs hanging pictures, changing light bulbs, or ripping every fire alarm off the walls because you can't figure out which one just won't stop beeping
• When you don't know how to handle a discipline situation
• When you want to share your child's milestone with someone who loves them just as much as you do
• When you just want someone to take over for just five minutes while you catch your breath again

When it feels like there is a spotlight illuminating our earthly "oneness", it is so easy to yearn for an earthly prince to come and rescue us. There is nothing wrong with yearning for a husband. Those heart pangs are real and they are painful, because we were created for partnership and connection.

Tomorrow, you might just find that earthly prince. You could run into the most amazing, giving, Godliest, cutest man of all time in the cereal aisle at Kroger. It could happen. Seriously, it is possible. Do not be hopeless in your waiting. But even that charming prince in all his humanness is going to let you down. Human princes leave the toilet seat up, are late to dinner, and are likely as confused as you are when it comes to disciplining children (Where is the manual!?). Human princes leave dirty socks two feet away from the hamper. Try as they may, they cannot read our mind, and they are sinful in nature just like you and me.

Only one Prince is big enough, grand enough, patient enough, worthy enough, and holy enough to sustain us time and time again without fail. He is Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings... the only Savior able to truly save! God will listen to our hilarious stories about our children. He will provide discernment when we do not know our up from down. We can count on the Holy Spirit to convict us in our impatience and ingratitude. He is near to us in our broken-heartedness. He will never tire of forgiving our humanness and He abolishes the very idea of our oneness. He is the prince who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is the prince who will not leave.

Our Prince is not hiding from us. We are not going to find Him on Match.com or at the Whole Food's Bar. Our Prince, helper, refuge, and rock is always with us and only a prayer away. Just as we yearn for our earthly prince, our Jesus yearns for us. He wants us to turn to him first. The Word declares, He longs to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18). We have to let Him save us.  After all, rescuing us has always been His very purpose. He is a gentleman. He will knock and knock and knock, but he will not barge in uninvited.

You are not alone.

Single, yes.

Alone? If you are in Christ Jesus, you are never alone. Never!

Cry out to your Prince, and in Him, you find the truest of all partners. The intimacy that I yearn for on Sunday morning when I see a husband gently lead his wife, may or may not ever come to fruition. Yes, I am hopeful that God’s will is better than I can imagine. He will fulfill His promises. In the meantime, there is no greater intimacy than the love and adoration of Prince Jesus. He holds my heart, even if there is no one holding my hand.

I will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. Psalm 118:8

Don't forget to sign up for our polar express coming up soon! We would love to spend the afternoon celebrating with you and your children!