On Ben Ownby's return

The delight my family felt at seeing Ben Ownby returned to his parents was almost indescribable – a feeling that we know we share with many.

And to have the "bonus" of Shawn Hornbeck's return as well – it's almost too much, in the most wonderful way imaginable.

Living here, as we do, very near the epicenter of these events in this part of Missouri, and having four boys of our own, the situation has been on our minds a great deal. It has been on the boys' minds, as well. I know that our oldest (nine years old) and our second oldest (seven years old) have thought about it a lot. I've taught them before about what to do if a stranger were to take them, and I hated that I had to teach them such strategies. Those past conversations and the ubiquitous pictures of Ben on stores and windows around town came together in the mind of our oldest, and we talked about it. He felt very insecure – very frightened. Every picture seemed to remind him that the same thing could happen to him.

We talked about it for a good long time, and I tried to ease his concern, but only so far as such concerns should be eased. We can't afford an idyllic ignorance in our children – not in this world. And I hate that. I hate that my children have to face the fact that there are real monsters in the world.

Yet, the horrible saga with its happy ending ("happy" here being relative to how such stories too often turn out) has produced some good fruit in my children, I think. And it certainly prompted many prayers on their part. Knowing that they prayed for Ben's return and then seeing the smiles on their faces when the TV news showed him being returned to his family was all too wonderful for me. And I am thankful to God for this instance of mercy.

For the last few days I have had a copy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper, published the Thursday before young Mr. Ownby was found. Since that time, the headline facing me the last few days every time I would sit here at my desk was, "Town hopes and prays; Ben still is missing."

Yesterday, my second oldest son was standing there at my left watching me type (Daddy is always typing...), when he asked me if he could have a pen. Caught up in what I was doing, I said he could and didn't take much note of what he was doing. Once he had left, the freshly altered headline caught my eye: "Town is Happy; Ben is found."

Dad will be keeping that one.

Jesus Christ instructs us to pray, "Your Kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10). Let tales such as these and reminders of the danger this world represents to our children stir us to obey Christ's example all the more and to add passion to our request: "Your Kingdom come!" We should ALL pray with our whole hearts for the coming of that time when "The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets" (Zechariah 8:5). That time is certainly not now. But as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, it is coming.

If you would like to learn more about the Kingdom of God and Christ's message of a soon-coming time of peace and joy like the world has never known, then please order our free booklet, Do You Believe the True Gospel? It will cost you absolutely nothing.

Don't rob yourself of the opportunity to learn – directly from your own Bible – of that glorious time when our children will be able to play safely and happily in the streets, utterly free of the monsters now present in this day and age.

Even more, learn how you can be a part of that coming government of peace.