The lift arrived, the door opened and they both stepped in. It seemed the young man was also going down so David pressed the ‘Down’ button and the lift started to descend. But no sooner the lift started to move than it came to a sudden halt - stuck between two floors.

DAVID:
Oh. It’s stopped. I guess it’s stuck

NEIL:
What do we do now?

DAVID:
We use the lift phone to call store manager or someone to come and get us out.

NEIL:
Well there isn’t one so stay cool. Don’t get too excited.
By the way my name’s Neil - what’s yours?

DAVID:
It’s David.

NEIL:
Well David, I’m the one who should be panicking. I’m supposed to be meeting my girlfriend tonight and she’s gonna be hopping mad if I miss our date again. She’ll be thinking that I’ve gone out with the lads to a football match again.

DAVID:
I’m sure she will believe you when you tell her that you were stuck in the lift with another bloke.

NEIL:
I’m not so sure. I can hardly believe it myself. It just hasn’t been my day to day. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. My car wouldn’t start this morning, my girlfriend thinks I’ve been telling her lies. She thinks that because I didn’t turn up for a date that I was seeing another girl. But I wasn’t!

DAVID:
Well, lies never do get you anywhere – except in to trouble. It’s truth that matters.
I had to learn that lesson myself – the hard way. I was always telling lies. One after another - but I got found out. And then I discovered the truth -real truth. And only truth will keep you out of trouble. God revealed that to me about a year ago. I went to a Church meeting and God really spoke to me. I became a Christian, I stopped telling lies and I won the heart of a wonderful girl. I’ve been going steady with her now for about a year. I came here to this store today to buy her a gift.

NEIL:
What did you get her?

DAVID:
Well, nothing, in the end. I just could not find that special thing to get her.
She’s a really special girl.

NEIL:
My girlfriend is quite special too. She sings in my band and she’s good.

DAVID:
A band? When’s your next gig? My girlfriend and I will come along.

NEIL:
It’s tomorrow night - if we ever get out of here!

DAVID:
Don’t worry, it won’t be long before someone comes to get us out. And besides, the cable is not going to break. God will look after us.

NEIL:
You really do believe in God then - that he will send someone along?

DAVID:
Sure I do. He’s kept me safe before – many times. One time I was out on a boat with my Dad when we hit a rock and capsized. We were a bit shaken but we were air-lifted by a helicopter. Then there was the time that I was on a motor bike and a car smashed into me. I came off. I should have died but all I received in the end was a broken leg, ribs and a few bruises.

NEIL:
I remember a time when I was 8 years old. I contracted pneumonia and it was ‘touch and go’ as to whether I would pull through.

DAVID:
There you are then. God took care of you. I tell you Neil - God knows all about you. He’s everywhere and he’s here with us right now.

NEIL:
I’ve often wondered if there was a God in heaven watching over me. I seem to have escaped from so many sticky situations over the years.

DAVID:
Well Neil I have told you about the Lord. But you need to invite Him into your life. That bit I can’t do for you.

NEIL:
Hey. It looks as if we are moving again. It was good to meet you David.
How long do you think we have been in here?

DAVID:
Not long. But long enough I hope to get you thinking about God.
I hope you didn’t mind?

NEIL:
No. Actually I’ve enjoyed our conversation.

DAVID:
Just remember - God takes care of us.

NEIL:
I’ll remember. See you at the gig tomorrow?

DAVID:
I’m looking forward to it.

The doors open and they go their separate ways.

David did go to the gig with his girlfriend and met up with Neil and his band. Before long Neil and his girlfriend were going along to David’s church. And Neil heard God speaking to him during a meeting. And he learned how to trust God.
And God takes care of him.

Perhaps you are teenager – with many issues in your life to deal with.
Maybe you have managed to get yourself out of difficult situations by being ‘economical’ with the truth. (we used to call it ‘telling lies’) But maybe you have dug yourself into a hole and the more you twist the truth - the deeper the hole becomes.
You may have even thought about crime. You are in debt – who isn’t?
But you are never going to get yourself out of that hole.
It is just too difficult.
But there is someone who can (and wants to) get you out of the hole you are in.

The Bible tells us that the devil is a liar from the beginning. But it also shows us that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
He is the way to peace and the Way back to God.
He is the Truth and will lead you into all that is right.
And He is the Life and He offers us eternal life.

We cannot change who we are. And we cannot ‘turn over a new leaf’.
But Jesus can do it for us.
His offer to us is a new way, a new life and a new hope.
Jesus can lift you up and set your feet upon a rock. Trust in Him today.