MISSING CHILD

                                MISSING CHILD

     You are a prisoner, and now is the moment of escape.  You've been in
bondage your entire life, but now you have a chance at freedom.  The
hallway is dark; and the two evil guards sit in the next room taking it
easy, unaware of your approach.  You crouch low to the floor and stealthily
creep on your fingertips into the guard room.  There they are, those two
hideous figures that for so long have tortured you. You could just
scream.  But now is not the time. You've got to move.  And fast.
     The doorway to freedom is so close you can taste it.  A wall blocks
the guards view of the door. You make it past the guards and safely to the
door. You stand up against the wall, peer back at the evil ones, breath a
sigh of relief, and silently twist the knob that will unlock your
misery.  Suddenly, a voice comes from behind: "Tammy, are you going
somewhere?"
    "No, Mom and Dad, I was just trying to clean off this doorknob."
    You probably feel sometimes that your house is a prison and your
parents are the guards.  You think your parents are engaged in a conspiracy
to limit your rights and freedom to a wonderful world out there.  Let's see
how Jesus dealt with this same problem.  He had parents too.
    Jesus was twelve-- the Jewish age of manhood.  He had every right to go
His own way and do His own thing.  And He did.  He went to His Father's
house and stayed there while his parents were returning home.  After all,
He had things to do, places to go, people to see.  And, of course, He was God.
    Jesus was not disobedient when He stayed at the temple.  But when His
parents explained to Him what they expected, He submitted to their
authority and went home with them-- for eighteen more years!  He didn't
leave home until He was thirty (see Luke 3:23).  You may sometime wish you
were God, but you are not.  You may think your parents are the evil ones,
but they are not. If you have a father, or mother, or both, Jesus has set
an example for you to follow.
     Have you ever felt like your parents are just there to keep you from
having a good time?  Do you honestly think their goal is to make you
miserable?  Why do you think your parents have set rule for you?
    Jesus followed the rules His parents gave Him, even though He could
have used His power to do otherwise.  Jesus wants you to submit to your
parents just like He submitted to His parents.
    Pray right now that God will give you the desire, patience, and wisdom
to obey your parents.  If you want to be like Jesus, be obedient to your
parents.