Our Father

From our friend, Scripture Searcher in email today:


Our Father who 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 who art inHeaven...

THERE, YOU DID IT AGAIN.

Did what?

CALLED ME. YOU SAID, "OUR FATHER WHO 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 myprayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feelgood, kind of like getting my 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... good grief, I don't know what it means! Howshould I know? It’s just part of the prayer. By the way, what doesit mean?

IT MEANS "HONORED," "HOLY," "WONDERFUL."

Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what "Hallowed" meantbefore. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is inHeaven.

DO YOU REALLY MEAN THAT?

Sure, why not?

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Doing? Nothing, I guess. I just think it would be neat if you gotcontrol of everything down here like you have up there.

HAVE I GOT CONTROL OF YOU?

Well, I go to church. Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of thosephonies at the church.

EXCUSE ME...! I THOUGHT YOU WERE PRAYING FOR MY WILL TO BE DONE. IFTHAT IS TO HAPPEN, IT WILL HAVE TO START WITH THE ONES WHO AREPRAYING FOR IT. LIKE YOU, FOR EXAMPLE.

Oh, all right! I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mentionit, I could probably name some others.

SO COULD I.

I haven't thought about it until now, but I really would like to cutout some of those things. I'd like to, you know, be really free.

GOOD, NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE. WE'LL WORK TOGETHER.... YOU AND I.NOW, SOME VICTORIES CAN TRULY BE WON. I'M PROUD OF YOU.

Look Lord, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer thanit usually does… Give us this day our daily bread.

YOU NEED TO CUT DOWN ON THE BREAD TOO... 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 remindme of all my hang-ups.

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 HEREI AM. IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW. KEEP ON PRAYING. I'M INTERESTED INTHE 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 JOE?

See I knew it! I knew you would bring him up! Why he's told liesabout me, cheated me out of money... He never paid back that debt heowes me. I've sworn to get even.

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 THE LOADOF BITTERNESS AROUND INSIDE, IS IT?

No, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I made someplans for ol' Joe. He'll wish he never did me any harm.

YOU WON'T FEEL ANY BETTER. YOU'LL FEEL WORSE. REVENGE ISN'T SWEET.THINK OF HOW UNHAPPY YOU ARE ALREADY. BUT I CAN CHANGE ALL THAT.

You can? How?

FORGIVE JOE. THEN I'LL FORGIVE YOU. THEN THE HATE AND SIN WILL BEJOE'S PROBLEM AND NOT YOURS...YOU MAY LOSE THE MONEY, BUT YOU WILLSETTLE YOUR HEART.

But Lord, I can't forgive Joe.

THEN I CAN'T FORGIVE YOU.

Oh, you're right! You always are. And more than I want revenge onJoe, I want to be right with you... All right! I forgive him. Helphim to find the right road in life, Lord. He's bound to be awfullymiserable, now that I think about it. Some way, some how, show himthe right way.

THERE NOW! HOW DO YOU FEEL?

Hmmm... not bad... Not bad at all, In fact I feel pretty great. Youknow, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for thefirst time since I can't remember. Maybe I won't be so tired from nowon because I'm not getting enough rest.

YOU'RE NOT THROUGH WITH YOUR PRAYER... GO ON.

Oh, alright... And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fromevil.

GOOD...GOOD. I'LL DO THAT. JUST DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE WHEREYOU CAN BE TEMPTED.

What do you mean by that?

QUIT HANGING AROUND THE WRONG PLACES, WATCHING INAPPROPRIATE MOVIESAND TELEVISION, LISTENING TO SINFUL CONVERSATIONS; HANGING AROUND THEPLACES WHERE PLAYBOY AND PLAYGIRL ARE SOLD. CHANGE SOME OF YOURFRIENDSHIPS. SOME OF YOUR SO-CALLED FRIENDS ARE BEGINNING TO GET TOYOU. THEY'LL HAVE YOU COMPLETELY INVOLVED IN WRONG THINGS BEFORELONG. DON'T BE FOOLED. THEY ADVERTISE THEY'RE HAVING FUN, BUT FOR YOUIT WOULD BE RUIN. DON'T USE ME FOR AN ESCAPE HATCH.

I don't understand.

SURE YOU DO, YOU'VE DONE IT... LOTS OF TIMES. YOU GET CAUGHT IN A BADSITUATION, 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 ITAGAIN." YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE BARGAINS YOU TRIED TO MAKE WITHME?

Yes, and I'm ashamed Lord. I really am.

WHICH BARGAINS ARE YOU REMEMBERING?

Well, when the guy next door saw me backing away from theneighborhood bar... I told my wife I was going to the store... Iremember telling you, "Lord don't let him tell her where I've been. Ipromise I'll be in church every Sunday."

HE DIDN'T TELL YOUR WIFE, BUT YOU DIDN'T KEEP YOUR PROMISE, DID YOU?

I'm sorry Lord, I really am. Up until now I thought if I just prayedthe Lord's Prayer everyday, then I could do what I liked. I didn'texpect anything to happen like it did.

GO AHEAD. FINISH YOUR PRAYER.

Oh yes... For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the gloryforever and ever. Amen.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BRING ME GLORY? WHAT WOULD MAKE ME REALLYHAPPY?

No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you. I can see what a messI've made out of my life, and I can see how great it would be toreally be one of your followers.

YOU JUST ANSWERED THE QUESTION.

I did?

YES, THE ONE THING THAT WOULD BRING ME GLORY IS TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKEYOU TRULY LOVE ME. AND I CAN SEE THAT HAPPENING BETWEEN US. NOW THATSOME OF THESE OLD SINS ARE EXPOSED AND OUT OF THE WAY... WELL,THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER.

Lord, let's see what we can make of me, OK?

YES, LET'S SEE.


- Author Unknown
Inspiration Journal