A Story ...

A couple discovered their 12 year old son Stephen had lied to them. He had skipped school three consecutive days. He was found out when his teacher called his parents to inquire about his well-being.

The parents were more upset about Stephen's lies than his missing school. After praying with him about what he had done, they decided on a very unusual and severe form of punishment. Their conversation with him went something like this:

"Stephen, do you know how important it is that we be able to trust one another?"

"Yes"

"How can we ever trust each other if we don't always tell the truth? That's why lying is such a terrible thing. Not only is it sin, but it also destroys our ability to trust one another. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, sir."

"Your Mom and I must make you understand the seriousness, not so much of skipping school, but of the lies you told. Your discipline will be that for the next three days, one for each day of your sin, you must go to the attic and stay there by yourself. You will even eat and sleep there."

So young Stephen headed off to the attic and the bed prepared for him there. It was a long evening for Stephen and perhaps longer for Mom and Dad. Neither could eat, and for some reason when Dad tried to read the paper the words seemed foggy. Mom tried to sew, but couldn't see to thread the needle. Finally it was bedtime. About midnight as the father lay in bed thinking about how lonely and afraid Stephen must be, he finally spoke to his wife, "Are you awake?"

"Yes. I can't sleep for thinking about Stephen."

"Neither can I," answered Dad.

An hour later he asked again, "Are you asleep yet?"

"No," answered Mom, "I just can't sleep for thinking about Stephen all alone up in the attic."

"Me neither."

Another hour passed. It was now 2:00 A.M. "I can't stand this any longer!" murmured Dad as he climbed out of bed grabbing his pillow and a blanket. "I'm going to the attic."

He found Stephen much as he expected: wide awake with tears in his eyes.

"Stephen", said his father, "I can't take away the punishment for your lies because you must know the seriousness of what you have done. You must realize that sin, especially lying, has severe consequences. But your mom and I can't bear the thought of you being here all alone in the attic so I'm going to share your punishment with you."

Dad lay down next to his son and the two put their arms around each other's necks. The tears on their cheeks mingled as they shared the same pillow and the same punishment ... for three nights.

Moral of the story:

Two thousand years ago God crawled "out of bed" with His blanket and pillow - actually three spikes and a cross of crucifixion - "staked" his His tear-stained cheek next to ours and "bore" our punishment for sin. His attic was a tomb, His bed a slab of rock and if you are His child, the cheek next to His was yours.

Are you His child? Have you asked Him to forgive you for your sins? It is my hope, my prayer that everyone reading this will come to a saving, vital faith in Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that every family member I have will come to know Christ as their Lord and their Savior. May God bless you and reveal to you the greatest need of all mankind ... Himself.