A Letter to My Daughter

Dear Piper,

Your mom and I are anxiously counting down the days till your arrival. We have read up on all of the "What to expect when you're expecting", and "What to expect during your baby's first year." We are taking bets on whose eyes you will have, whether you will have your mom's good looks or my personality. For our sake we hope you don't have my personality in high school, but, that will be for another letter. We can't wait for the day when we will be able to hold you in our arms.

As you grow you will encounter and learn many things during your lifetime. Most girls enjoy watching the Disney princesses. We are sure that you will grow to love the adventures of Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Ariel and all of the other princesses. While watching the princess movies a desire will grow within you to one day be rescued by a prince charming. We want you to know that desire has been placed their by your Heavenly Father. Your prince charming has already come in the flesh to save you and fallen humanity. You and all of humanity were held captive by his power and He came to save you. Wait, I think I'm getting ahead of myself. Allow me to share this story in proper fashion...

Once upon a time. 

To every unbelieving eye, the Great Dragon was the crowned victor, standing over Jesus Christ in the ring of human history, spewing blasphemies, sitting upon his face, placing a crown of thorns upon his head in mockery, and pulling out Jesus' beard as he lay beaten and stripped naked on the dust of his own earth. Placing a knee on one limb at a time, the Great Dragon held in his hands a large hammer and spikes to nail Jesus' body to a Roman cross. With his army of demons and human servants cheering their king and his conquest, the Great Dragon laughed loudly while nailing a mocking banner above Jesus' head that read, "King of the Jews." The Great Dragon raised up the broken, beaten and bloodied crucified Jesus for all to see, so that Jesus would be shamed by the people and spirits he had made who gathered to cover him with spit, curses, and jeering. Jesus breathed his last as the Dragon raised his head in pride to declare his ultimate victory as new King and Lord. Meanwhile, Jesus' body was laid in a tomb, and his followers left in utter silence, leading a path muddied with tears behind them.

But...

Three days later, Jesus your Warrior King rose in victory over death. Seeing Jesus alive, the Great Dragon snatched you as his captive, drew his sword of law, covered with the blood of your sin, and thrust its razor-sharp point at your head, naming every sin you have committed. Smiling, Jesus stepped forward and declared that he already paid the penalty for your sins on the cross, canceled any right Satan had to hold you captive, and defeated your Enemy along with his servants and their works and effects in your life. 

With fear in his eyes, the Great Dragon dropped his sword from your head and was overcome with dread as he understood the victory Jesus had won for you through his seeming defeat. Drawing his own sword of truth, Jesus landed a crushing blow on the head of the Great Dragon, shattering his helmet and bloodying his head. Jesus then stepped toward the Great Dragon and thrust his sword againist his mouth, shattering his teeth and sending the violently down his throat. Then, with a blow to his armor, Jesus doubled the Great Dragon over, leaving him gasping for air and unable to bellow his curses and blasphemies anymore. With a crushing elbow to the back of the head, Jesus dropped the Great Dragon into the very dust in which Jesus himself had lain three days prior, and the blood of the Great Dragon fell upon the dried blood of your Savior. Jesus stripped the Great Dragon of all his armor and clothing as his bowed head and bloodied mouth moaned in the agony of utter defeat. 

Taking your chin in his hand, Jesus lifted your face, looked you in the eye, and told you that your sins were forgiven, your Enemy conquered, and your life liberated from captivity, and that God is now your Father, new life is your gift, and heaven is your home. As tears streamed down your face, Jesus asked you always to remember to see yourself as he does, not in light of what you have done or what has been done to you, but rather solely by what he has done for you as your victorious Warrior King. 
At that moment, you felt freedom for the first time. At that moment, what Jesus had done for you was made known to you by God the Holy Spirit. At that moment, you stepped over the fallen Dragon and embraced Jesus with a passionate joy you had previously never known. 

You were finally known. 
You were finally loved. 
You were finally safe.

You were finally free.

Our prayer for you Piper is that you would one day come to know this prince charming and follow him all the days of your life. We love you!

Serving Him,

Your loving father