This story seems to fit our

lives and our world right now.

George was nine years old.

Steve was seven. The two boys were brothers, and the best of friends.

They did everything together. They walked to school together, came home

together, ate their snack and played outside when it was warm and down

in the basement when it was cold ­ together.

They watched the same television

programs, read the same books, played the same video games ­ together.

Even when it was time for bed they went together. They slept in the same

room, in twin beds.

After mom and dad finished

their prayers, they talked until one or the other fell asleep. "What

was the best part of your day today?" George would ask his younger

brother. "Swimming!" replied Steve. "Yea, that was great,"

added George, "especially diving off the raft, and then seeing who

could stay under water the longest." "I bet I can beat you tomorrow,"

challenged Steve. "Maybe," replied George, "when you get

as old as me."

Steve liked to play tricks

on his older brother. In the morning Steve would wake up before George

and hide. When mom called them for breakfast George would wake up, look

over to Steve's bed, and not seeing him would jump up and call out his

name. Steve wouldn't answer! So George would look in the closet, the bathroom,

and under the bed...where Steve always seemed to be hiding. Finally, George

caught on and pretended he didn't know Steve was under his bed. The two

brothers and best of friends enjoyed the early morning game of hide-and-seek.

The day of the funeral, when

Steve's casket was lowered into the grave, George tried to jump in with

his younger brother, to be there with him, together. The death of Steve

was, of course, excruciating for everyone, including Pastor Schmidt, who

conducted the service. But when George tried to jump into the open grave,

this was almost too much for anyone to deal with. The grief was almost

overpowerful.

After the service, Pastor Schmidt

went to the home where Steve used to live. The rooms were filled with

family and friends. "Where is George?" Pastor Schmidt inquired

of his mother. "He's in his room and won't come out," she replied.

Pastor Schmidt went into the roo m, but did not find George. "George,"

he spoke out. No response. Again, he spoke, a little louder. "George!"

No answer. A third time, and the reply, "I'm here, and I'm never

coming out," came from underneath Steve's bed.

Pastor Schmidt talked to George until he was blue in the face, trying

to get him to come out from under Steve's bed. He told him about heaven

and how happy his brother, Steve, must be. He tried every argument and

bribe, even resorting to telling him how Steve

wouldn't like what he was doing. Nothing worked!

Finally, the Lord caught the

attention of Pastor Schmidt. Pastor Schmidt got down on his knees, spread

himself out on the floor, and crawled under the bed with George. The move

took some time because the space under the bed was not as large as the

space of Pastor Schmidt's body. The bed frame was pushing hard into his

chest and the floor seemed to push up on his back. But, he just lay next

to George and said, "Well, if you're going to stay here for the rest

of your life, then I'm going to stay here with you." After fifteen

minutes of eternity, George decided the two could crawl out and join the

rest of the family and friends.

After the whole experience,

Pastor Schmidt understood God and His love for us just a little bit better.

He said to himself and later to his congregation, "How grateful I

am that God always crawls under our beds and stays there with us when

we need Him to."

So many people these days are

"under their beds" because of the events of Sept. 11, or because

of broken relationships, or because of economic and financial problems,

or because of personal internal turmoil, or because of so many other issues

and adversities. But the news is GOOD! When we can't crawl out from under

our beds ourselves, God crawls under with us ­ to love us and be

present with us, staying with us as long as it takes. Then, because of

His constant love and presence, the time indeed does come when we can

crawl out ­ and live and thrive and have joy and peace return.

The man we call St. Paul said

it so well: "For I am convinced that there is nothing in death or

life, in what happens today or may happen tomorrow, in a power from on

high or a power from below, or anything else in God's whole world that

will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Amen to that!

Justin Kollmeyer is senior

pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Hwy. 314 between Lowe's and

Fayette Pavilion. Worship services are open to the public each Sunday

for 8 a.m. Early Service, 9:30 a.m. Contemporary Service, and 11:15 a.m.

Pipe Organ Liturgical Service. For more information, please call 770-461-3403

or log onto www.popdove.com .

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