.
.
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If God Should Speak - A different look at The Lord's Prayer
"Our Father which art in heaven..."
---Yes?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
---But you called me.
Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. "Our Father, which art in
heaven..."
---There, you did it again.
Did what?
---Called me. You said, "Our Father which art in heaven." Here I
am...What's on your mind?
But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers
for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind
of like getting a duty done.
---All right. Go on.
"Hallowed be thy name..."
---Hold it. What do you mean by that?
By what?
---By "hallowed be thy name"?
It means...it means...I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's
just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
---It means honored, holy, wonderful.
Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what "hallowed" meant before.
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
---Do you really mean that?
Sure, why not?
---What are you doing about it?
Doing? Nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got
control of everything down here like you have up there.
---Do I have control of you?
Well, I go to church.
---That isn't what I asked you. What about that temper? You really have a
problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -
all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read, and music you listen to, and movies you watch ?
Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at
the church.
---Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that
is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it.
Like you, for example.
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I
could probably name some others.
---So could I.
I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to
cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free of them.
---Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together, you and I.
Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud of you.
Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is kind of taking a lot longer
than it usually does. "Give us this day, our daily bread."
---You need to cut down the bread. You're overweight as it is.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this, "Criticize me day"? Here I was doing my
religious duty, and all of a sudden, you break in and remind me of all my
shortcomings.
---Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know.
That's what I'm trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am.
It's too late to stop now. Keep praying, I'm interested in the next part of
your prayer...Well, go on.
I'm scared to.
---Scared? Of what?
I know what you'll say.
---Try me and see.
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
---What about Alicia?
See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies
about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she
owes me. I'm going to get even with her!
---But your prayer? What about your prayer?
I didn't mean it!
---Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun carrying that load
of bitterness around inside, is it?
No. But I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans
for her. She'll wish she had never messed with me.
---You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet.
Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that.
You can? How?
---Forgive Alicia. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be
Alicia's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart.
Oh, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to
be right with you...(sigh). All right, All right. I forgive her. Help
her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully
miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the
things she does to others has to be pretty miserable inside, especially with all that lying. Someway,
somehow, show her the right way.
---There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?
Hmmmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, I feel pretty great!
You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first
time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired when I wake up from
now on.
---You're not through with your prayer. Go on.
Oh, all right. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
---Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you
can be tempted.
What do you mean by that?
---What about the time you spend coffee-ing with your friends? If you can't
influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think
the value of those friendships. Another thing, please don't use me for an
escape hatch.
I don't understand the last part.
---Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad
situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me, "Lord,
help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again." You
remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?
Yes, and I'm ashamed, Lord. I really am. I'm sorry, Lord, I really am. Up
until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then
I could do whatever I wanted. I didn't expect anything to happen like it
just did.
---Go ahead and finish your prayer.
"For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever." Amen
---Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?
No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you. I can see what a mess I've
made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really live like
one of your followers.
---You just answered the question.
I did?
---Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you
truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these
old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we
can do together.
Lord, let's see what we can make of me, O.K.?
---Yes, let's see...
-------------------------------------------------
Never Let The Devil Have An Inch ...
He'll Become The Ruler...
-------------------------------------------------
.
.
If God Should Speak - A different look at The Lord's Prayer
"Our Father which art in heaven..."
---Yes?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
---But you called me.
Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. "Our Father, which art in
heaven..."
---There, you did it again.
Did what?
---Called me. You said, "Our Father which art in heaven." Here I
am...What's on your mind?
But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers
for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind
of like getting a duty done.
---All right. Go on.
"Hallowed be thy name..."
---Hold it. What do you mean by that?
By what?
---By "hallowed be thy name"?
It means...it means...I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's
just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
---It means honored, holy, wonderful.
Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what "hallowed" meant before.
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
---Do you really mean that?
Sure, why not?
---What are you doing about it?
Doing? Nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got
control of everything down here like you have up there.
---Do I have control of you?
Well, I go to church.
---That isn't what I asked you. What about that temper? You really have a
problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -
all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read, and music you listen to, and movies you watch ?
Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at
the church.
---Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that
is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it.
Like you, for example.
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I
could probably name some others.
---So could I.
I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to
cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free of them.
---Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together, you and I.
Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud of you.
Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is kind of taking a lot longer
than it usually does. "Give us this day, our daily bread."
---You need to cut down the bread. You're overweight as it is.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this, "Criticize me day"? Here I was doing my
religious duty, and all of a sudden, you break in and remind me of all my
shortcomings.
---Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know.
That's what I'm trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am.
It's too late to stop now. Keep praying, I'm interested in the next part of
your prayer...Well, go on.
I'm scared to.
---Scared? Of what?
I know what you'll say.
---Try me and see.
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
---What about Alicia?
See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies
about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she
owes me. I'm going to get even with her!
---But your prayer? What about your prayer?
I didn't mean it!
---Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun carrying that load
of bitterness around inside, is it?
No. But I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans
for her. She'll wish she had never messed with me.
---You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet.
Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that.
You can? How?
---Forgive Alicia. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be
Alicia's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart.
Oh, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to
be right with you...(sigh). All right, All right. I forgive her. Help
her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully
miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the
things she does to others has to be pretty miserable inside, especially with all that lying. Someway,
somehow, show her the right way.
---There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?
Hmmmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, I feel pretty great!
You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first
time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired when I wake up from
now on.
---You're not through with your prayer. Go on.
Oh, all right. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
---Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you
can be tempted.
What do you mean by that?
---What about the time you spend coffee-ing with your friends? If you can't
influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think
the value of those friendships. Another thing, please don't use me for an
escape hatch.
I don't understand the last part.
---Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad
situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me, "Lord,
help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again." You
remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?
Yes, and I'm ashamed, Lord. I really am. I'm sorry, Lord, I really am. Up
until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then
I could do whatever I wanted. I didn't expect anything to happen like it
just did.
---Go ahead and finish your prayer.
"For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever." Amen
---Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?
No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you. I can see what a mess I've
made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really live like
one of your followers.
---You just answered the question.
I did?
---Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you
truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these
old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we
can do together.
Lord, let's see what we can make of me, O.K.?
---Yes, let's see...
-------------------------------------------------
Never Let The Devil Have An Inch ...
He'll Become The Ruler...
-------------------------------------------------