A Thought Provoking Email
Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 - 11:07 a.m.
Dearie Diary,
Allow me to share and bless the following with all my diary visitors. I'll upload the following in this page in my homepage later.
My thoughts after reading it... If there is one word to describe my feeling, it will definitely be GUILT! In some parts, I can identify with the person in the following. I don't know how you will feel, maybe you can email me and tell me.
By the way, I don't feel offended when someone sent me this just in case you are wandering. You may think the person who send this is hinting something... Ooops! If you don't get what I mean in this paragraph, just ignore it. I am just thinking too much... the typical me...
Please enjoy the following and note that "-" means person speaking and "*" means God speaking. Those words in Black are my thoughts while reading.
-Shu Ling-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Here’s an interesting conversation.
It’s a little lengthy but rather amusing and thought provoking.
Happy reading!!
- My Dear Father in Heaven.
* YES?
- Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
* But you called Me.
- Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying... My Dear Father in Heaven...
* There, you did it again.
- Did what?
* Called me. You said, "My Dear Father in Heaven." Here I am. What's on your mind?
- But I didn't mean anything by it. I was just, You know, saying my prayers for the night. I always say my prayers. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting my duty done.
* Oh. All Right. Go on.
(*Amazed* The person don't even know he/she is calling the Lord. I think
this might happen to me when I say this like "Oh my God" without
realising it. That is wrong. 4th commandment: Don't misuse God's name.)
- I'm thankful for my many blessings...
* Hold it. How thankful?
- What?
* How thankful are you for your "Many blessings?"
- I'm... well... I don't know. How should I know? It's just part of the prayer. Everyone always said that I should express my thanks.
* Oh well. You're welcome. Go ahead...
- Go ahead?
* With the prayer.
(*Stun* when I imagined God asking me how thankful I am... I guess I will
just answer Him that I am very very thankful because He bless me while I am so unworthy
and sinful.)
- Oh yeah. Let's see... bless the poor and the sick and the needy and the afflicted...
* Do you really mean that?
- Well, sure I mean it.
* What are you doing about it?
- Doing? Who, me? Nothing. I guess. I just think that it would be kind of nice if You got control of things down here like You have up there, so people don't have to suffer so much.
* Have I got control of you?
- Well I go to church, I pay my tithe, I don't...
* That isn't what I asked you. What about your temper? You have a problem there, and your friends and family suffer. And then there's the way you spend your money... all on yourself. And how about the kinds of books you read?
- Stop picking on me. I'm just as good as some of the rest of those I see every Sunday at church.
* Excuse Me. I thought you were praying for me to bless the needy. If that is to happen, I'll have to have help from the ones who are praying for it... like you.
- All right. I guess that I have a few hang-ups, now that You mention it. I could probably mention some others.
* So could I.
(*Guilty* when I imagined God mentioning my many hang-up and how
sometimes He had little control over me.)
- Look, Father. I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than usual. Bless the missionaries to be led to the doors of the honest in heart.
* You mean people like Ralph?
- Ralph?
* Yes, the guy around the corner.
- "That" Ralph... but he smokes and drinks and never goes to church.
* Have you ever looked in his heart lately?
- Of course not. How can...
* I have. I looked. And it's one of those honest hearts your were just praying about.
- O.K. then, get the missionaries over there. Do you think I like having a non-member for a
neighbour?
* Aren't you supposed to be a missionary? I thought I made that pretty clear.
(*Shameful* about sometimes thinking the way the person think when it
come to sharing gospel with "bad" people)
- Hey, wait a minute. What is this? Criticize "me" day? Here I am, doing my duty, keeping your commandments to pray. And all of a sudden you break in and start reminding me of all my problems.
* Well, you called Me. And here I am. Keep on praying. I'm interested in this next part. You haven't changed the order around have you?... Go on...
- I don't want to.
* Why not?
- I know what You'll say.
* Try Me and see.
- Please forgive me of all my sins... and help me to forgive others.
* What about Bill?
- See. I knew it. I knew you'd bring him up. Listen Lord, he told lies about me, and I got fired. All my co-workers think I'm a first class creep, and I didn't do anything. I'm going to get even with him!
* But your prayers. What about your prayers?
- I didn't mean it.
* Well, at least you're honest. I guess you enjoy carrying that load of bitterness around, don't you?
- No, I don't. But I'll feel better as soon as I get even.
* Do you want to know a secret?
- What secret?
* You won't feel better. You'll feel worse. Listen to me. You forgive Bill and I'll forgive you.
- But Lord, I can't forgive Bill.
* Then I cannot forgive you.
- No matter what?
* No matter what. But you're not through with your prayer yet. Go on.
(*Troubled* Sometimes it is just so hard to forgive. Just when I thought
I forgave the person, I realised that I had not when I face the person again.
*Sad* and *Scared* that God will also not forgive me if I don't forgive. Lord,
please help me to forgive the handful of people whom I seems to have trouble
forgiving completely. I want to learn from You.)
- Oh all right... please help me to control my feelings and not yield to temptations.
* Good. Good. I'll do just that. But you stop putting yourself in all those places where you can be tempted.
- What do you mean by that?
* Quit hanging around the magazine racks and spending so much time in front of the tv. Some of that stuff is going to get to you sooner or later. You'll find yourself involved in some terrible things before long... and don't use me for an escape hatch either.
- An escape hatch? I don't understand.
* Sure you do. You've done it lots of times -- you find yourself in a crisis situation, then you come running to me. "Lord, help me out of this mess and I promise I'll never do it again." It's amazing how the quality and intensity of your prayers improve when you are in trouble. Do you remember some of those bargains you tried to make with Me?
- Well I don't think... Oh... yeah... like the time Mom's visiting teacher saw me coming out of that movie about... Oh brother...
* Do you remember your prayer? I do. "Oh God. Don't let her tell my mother where I've been. I promise I'll go to nothing but "G" rated movies from now on. She didn't tell your mother, but you didn't keep your promise. Did you?
- No Lord, I didn't. I'm sorry.
* So am I. Go ahead and finish your prayer.
*Guilty* again! Especially when I read the amazement God have when the quality and intensity of
my prayers improve when I'm in trouble. I pray that I can always fulfill my
promises to God, just like how Jesus fulfill His promises!)
- Wait a minute. I want to ask you a question. Do you always listen to my prayers?
* Every word. Every time.
*Mixed feelings* because I am delighted that God is paying attention to
me and my words yet scared that I say something wrongly)
- Then how come you never talked back to me before?
* How many chances have you given me? There's not enough time between your "Amens" and your head hitting the pillow for me to draw a breath. How am I supposed to give an answer?
- You could, if you really wanted to.
* No. I could if *you* really wanted Me to. Child, I always want to.
- Father, I am sorry. Will you forgive me?
* I already have. And thanks for letting me interrupt. I get lonely to talk to you sometimes. Good night. I love you.
- Good night, and I love You too.
* ?
*Guilty* about not giving God enough time to speak to me (due to the
short time between my "Amens" and my head hitting the pillow). Sometimes I even
lie down to pray, that leaves God with not even 1 second to speak to me.
*Confused* What does the last "?" mean?
If you have been blessed by this Conversation, then pass it on to others to let them know that God wishes to speak to them too!
GOD BLESS YOU
(You are not required to pass this on if you don't feel like...)
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