Written by Pastor Arte Sharot © 2002 (Artesharot@hotmail.com )

Amos: Hello Pastor I’m glad you had time to see me.

Pastor: Well sure Mr. Jones?

Amos: Call me Amos.

Pastor: Ok Amos? You sounded a little upset on the phone what can I do for you?

Amos: Well I think I’m more embarrassed than anything, I’m sorry to bother you it’s just that I didn’t know who else to talk to about this.

Pastor: Ok.

Amos: It’s, It’s just, It’s just that.

Pastor: Problems at work?

Amos: No

Pastor: Problems with your marriage? Are you married?

Amos: Yes, I mean no. I mean Yes I’m married but no that’s not the problem.

Pastor: Your going to have to help me out.

Amos: I don’t know how to pray.

Pastor: Oh.

Amos: It’s been a long time since confirmation and you know how it is. It’s hard to remember that far back.

Pastor: Oh.

God: You could have lived up to those promises you made.

Amos: What did you say?

Pastor: I said Oh.

God: You could have come to worship on Sundays.

Amos: What?

Pastor: (looking puzzled)

Amos: It’s just that you know, you get so busy and there just isn’t the time. I need a day to rest. So Sundays if I’m not doing anything is just a great day to sleep in. Every one needs a day off. You know what I mean?

Pastor: I’m usually working on Sundays

God: I know what you mean.

Amos: How do you do that?

Pastor: Work on Sundays?

Amos: Never mind.

Pastor: Well I would love to teach you to pray. Is there anything in particular that you were concerned about?

Amos: I don’t think so, I’ve just been feeling that something is missing in my life. I thought maybe if I prayed I would feel kind of closer to God. Is that weird?

Pastor: Not at all.

God: It’s what I’ve been wanting for quite a while.

Amos: (pauses looking around) anyway. I need to learn how. Would you teach me to pray. That sounds dumb. I feel so ignorant about God.

Pastor: Actually that is the same thing Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus.

Amos: They did?

Pastor: Yup. Jesus said pray like this. "Father…" Why don’t you write this down and pray it until you know it by heart. "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."

Amos: I don’t know about calling God, Father. It’s so

Pastor: Personal?

God: That’s what I want. I want you to think of me in a personal way. Think of me as your father your mother as you heavenly parent one who loves and cares about you more than anyone on earth. Share with me your greatest joys and your deepest fears. Even tell me the things everyone else thinks is boring.

Amos: We are suppose to think of God on a personal level then?

Pastor: Yes.

Amos: If we are suppose to think of God as personal why doesn’t the prayer say give me my daily bread? Forgive me my sins ... Don’t bring me to the time of trial?

Pastor: Jesus was answering his disciples...

God: Because your not my only child. I love all my children. Pray for my other children, pray with my other children.

Amos: Can I pray this prayer when I am alone?

Pastor: Yes.

God: Talk to me with others, when your alone, just pray. I would love to hear from you.

Amos: There is a couple of other things. How do I get it in my head that God, the creator and the ruler of the universe, the one who makes it all happen would want to hear from me?

Pastor: You know someone must have asked the same question of Jesus because he told this to his disciples.
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Amos: You know this is fun. Some of this stuff is starting to come back to me.

God: it might do you good to come to church on a regular basis.

Amos: You know, It might do me some good to come here on a regular basis.

Pastor: That would be great.

Amos: But, what about the times when God doesn’t answer prayers. All the people for example who pray for healing but die.

Pastor: Jesus says:
Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Amos: So we just have to pray and God will give us everything we ask for?

Pastor: Not exactly

Amos: So God doesn’t answer all prayers.

Pastor: No God answers every prayer.

God: Sometimes the answer is no.

Pastor: Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes the answer is yes sometimes it’s we’ll see.

Amos: In my house We’ll see means no.

Pastor: In God’s house the answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes we’ll see. Maybe we are not ready for it. Maybe God’s not ready to act. Maybe things are bigger than we can see and sometimes things take time.

God: Love is more than saying yes all the time. But you can count on me being there with you no matter what.

Amos: So prayer isn’t necessarily about asking and getting,

Pastor: No it’s more than that

God: It’s about having a living relationship with me. That’s what I want because I love you Amos.

Amos: It’s about having a living relationship with God?

Pastor: Wow that’s right, that’s great.

Amos: Well I’ve taken up enough of your time.

Pastor: No problem Amos.

Amos: What time is church on Sunday?

Pastor: 9:30 Education time at 8:30 Some people think 8:30 is kind of early...

Amos: Not for important stuff like this. See ya.

Pastor: See ya Amos.

Amos: You know Pastor, don’t take this the wrong way but I don’t always understand what your talking about.

Pastor: You’re not the first to

Amos: But sometimes it’s almost as if God is speaking right through you.

Pastor: Thanks.