Missing Car Keys

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, May 27.

By Andrew McChesney

T

hree-year-old ZZ was excited! He was going with Father and Mother on a big trip to the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Father had to take his friend Andrew to the airport. It would be a long, one-hour drive.

ZZ walked with Father to the car. Father used his keys to unlock the car, and he put ZZ into the child’s seat in the backseat. After fastening ZZ into the seat, Father and Mother got ready to leave.

But something was wrong.

“Where are the car keys?” Father asked.

Father didn’t know. Mother didn’t know. ZZ didn’t know. ZZ watched from the back seat as Father and Mother looked for the keys.

Father opened the trunk and looked around inside. Nothing.

Mother looked around the front seats of the car. Nothing.

“The car keys were just in my hand,” Father said. “I used them to open the car when I put ZZ in the back seat. What did I do with them?”

Father didn’t know. Mother didn’t know. ZZ didn’t know.

“Andrew is waiting for us to take him to the airport,” Father said. “We can’t be late for his airplane flight. What can we do?”

Father didn’t know. Mother didn’t know. ZZ didn’t know.

Then Father had an idea.

“Let’s pray and ask God to help us find the keys,” he said.

ZZ had been quiet this whole time. But now he spoke up from the backseat of the car.

“Is God here?” he asked.

It was a good question. Was God nearby?

“Yes,” Father said. “We just need to ask Him for help.”

Father closed his eyes. Mother closed her eyes. ZZ closed his eyes.

“Dear God,” Father prayed, “please help us find the car keys so we won’t be late to the airport. Amen.”

When Father opened his eyes, he immediately saw the car keys. They were lying on the roof of the car.

“Hooray!” Father exclaimed. “God answered our prayer!”

Father jumped into the car. Mother jumped into the car. ZZ was already in the car, and he watched from the backseat as Father started the car engine.

ZZ had been quiet for a long time again. But now he spoke up a second time.

“Daddy, are we going to pray for God to be with us?” he asked.

Father looked at Mother and then at ZZ. The little boy was right. They should pray before traveling to the hotel to pick up Andrew and then to the airport in Frankfurt.

“Dear God,” ZZ prayed, “keep us safe on the trip to the airport. Help us not to get into an accident. Amen.”

Father was so happy that God was near to hear their prayers. Mother was so happy that God was near to hear their prayers. ZZ was so happy that God was near to hear their prayers. God had heard their prayer to find the car keys. Now He would hear their prayer for a safe trip to the airport.

And He did!

ZZ belongs to a missionary family in Germany. Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help missionaries tell people around the world about the loving God who hears prayers.