I Know

by Ryne Mimbs

Summary

A hurting young man’s prayer is answered in a very personal way.  Humorous, with a powerful message.  Deals with who God is, justice, grace, and dealing with grief.

Characters

Dave, 
God (can be played on-stage or as an off-stage voice)

Script

Dave:  Lord, I just don’t understand sometimes.  I mean, you’re a gracious, loving God, yet there is so much pain in the world.  Why?  If you are so just, (breaking down) why do bad things happen to good people?  Why doesn’t justice prevail?!?  Why, God, why?!?
God:  Stop yelling, I’m not deaf.
Dave:  What?  God?  What are you doing here?
God:  Talking to you, of course.
Dave:  I thought you only talked to saints and the folks in the Bible.
God:  Of course not.  I talk to all my children.  In some fashion or another.  It may be like this or it could be in a reading or a sermon or a quiet whisper.  I do so love those whispers.
Dave:  Yeah, but, why me?
God:  You’ve got questions.  I’ve got answers.  Hmmm.  Someone should use that for an advertisement.
Dave:  Wait, so you’re saying that you’re going to answer all my questions.
God:  Something like that.  You do have questions right?
Dave:  Definitely.  Um, what is...
God:  ....the meaning to life?  Please, if I hear that question one more time, I think I’m going to go insane.
Dave:  (testing) Ok, why is the sky blue?
God:  Cuz I said so.  I actually preferred green, but then you get into that whole visible color spectrum thing, and I didn’t want to go back and change all that again. Do you know how long it took to get that right?
Dave:  Right....ok, does..
God:  No.
Dave:  If there were...
God:  Yes.
Dave:  If a train left...
God:  14.  Yes.  No.  3.  The French.  War of 1812.  And because I said so.
Dave:  Well, that takes care of my homework for the next three years.  But why...
God:  I think you know that one.
Dave:  Oh.  Is it because...
God:  Bingo.
Dave.  Ohhhh.  Well, could you at least let me finish a coherent idea?
God:  I knew you would say that.
Dave:  I noticed.  Well, I think that’s all I have to ask.
God:  What about your prayer?
Dave:  Huh?
God:  Well, that’s why I came in the first place.  You raised some interesting questions in your prayer.
Dave:  Really?
God:  Yeah.  I mean, I’ve heard them before, but your emotion and feeling behind them is rare.
Dave:  Because I’m serious about them.  I mean, God.  You’re supposed to be so gracious and loving and yet you allow so much pain and suffering to go on in this world.  Why?
God:  Because I love you.
Dave:  What?
God:  I allow you to have free choice.  I never force anyone to do anything.  That’s why there is so much pain.  Because people choose to let it happen and to do things that make it happen.  Believe me, I hate it as much as you do, but would you rather me be a tyrant and force you to do things against your will?  No.  It’s because I love you, that I allow you to make your own choices.
Dave:  But why don’t you punish those that do wrong?  You’re supposed to be just!
God:  You want just?  Proper justice would have me smite all of you every few minutes.  You talk to your friends, SMITE!  You look at a girl, SMITE!  Talk back to your parents, SMITE!  SMITE, SMITE, SMITE, SMITE, SMITE!  Uh-oh, I think I might get to like this.
Dave:  Well, why don’t you?
God:  Justice is what you deserve, mercy is what you need, and what I give through my son, Jesus Christ.  I offer you my mercy and grace, but it is ultimately your choice whether or not to accept it.
Dave:  But why not punish those that (trying  not to cry)......that (breaks down)
God:  I know that it hurts, Dave, but no amount of anger or hatred can bring her back.
Dave:  But you could have stopped him!
God:  I could have, yes.  I could have stopped him drinking, from robbing that store, from killing your sister.  But I didn’t.
Dave:  Exactly!
God: But I tried.  I put people and things to stop him.  But it all comes back to choices.  He chose to do all those things.  I don’t stop people from choosing.
Dave:  Because you “love” us, right?
God:  Yes.
Dave:  But he was acquitted!
God:  Choices, choices, choices.  But I used this to bring about some good.  What you don’t know, is that your sister witnessed to several people in her last moments and several of them have come into the fold because of it.  She even witnessed to her killer.  And believe me, it had an effect.  It is now his choice whether or not to turn to me.
Dave:  And you’re just going to forgive him?  Why?
God:  Because I love him.  The same way I love you and have forgiven you.
Dave:  Me?
God:  You’re not perfect, Dave.  But when you called on the name of my son, Jesus Christ, to save you, I forgave you.  And if your sister’s killer does the same, I’ll forgive him.
Dave:  I understand now.
God:  I know.
Dave:  It just hurts so bad, though.
God:  The pain’s not going to just go away, not for a while.  But you will eventually smile again.  And you will laugh again.  and you will spread my word through your sister’s and ultimately your story.  And I will be there through all of it.  I promise.
Dave:  I know.  Thank you.
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Copyright, Ryne Mimbs, all rights reserved.
This script may be used without royalty payment, provided no charge is made to the performance. In return, the author would like to be told of any performance. Please contact: rmojo03@yahoo.com