Where is God? The Journey

By Erik Farstad

Hi everyone. Todays devotional is something you've not seen from me. It is a play I wrote last year for my church drama team. I've sent it to you, for you to read and perform at your church if you'd like to! But more importantly to see the "need" that is in the world and the searching that so many of us are doing. You'll want to print this out and read it when you have the time. Please respond to me with your devotional ideas or comments to the play. And enjoy! God bless. Serving Christ, Erik.

A one act play.
by Erik Farstad
© 1997

The Players

Suzy......searching for meaning.

Jennifer......searching for meaning.

Mary, the friend......mutual friend of Suzy and Jennifer.

The Deceiver......points the way to "worldly things."

The Provider......points the way to hope.

Act I, Scene I

(The play opens with two people sitting at separate tables.  They appear
to be writing in some type of journal or diary.  Note:  Lights come up
on each person as they speak, come down when finished.)


Suzy:  Why did dad have to leave.  Mom doesn't talk to me anymore, I
feel so alone.

Jennifer:  All my parents do is fight.  They even yell at me, and I
don't do a thing.  Is there something or someone who can help?

Suzy:  I can't seem to trust people, they always end up hurting me.

Jennifer:  No one cares.  What does it matter that I'm even alive?

Suzy:  Just when I think I have it figured out, I'm confused again.
(shaking her head)

Jennifer:  I know, I need to think happier thoughts than I'll feel
better. (nodding)

Suzy & Jennifer:  (at the same time) I don't know, I guess I'll figure
it all out sooner or later.  (lights go down on them, but they continue
to write)

(At the same time, on other side of the stage, two guys are watching and
listening to the two girls.  They talk to one another and cannot be seen
or heard by anyone)

The Deceiver:  See how confused they are?  They just sit there and
ramble on, lost in their sad lives.  They'll never solve the riddle of
life.  They really need my help, I'll show them the way out!

The Provider:  Well you are right, about them being confused that is. 
It is normal to ask questions and to search.  But soon they will find
their answers, when they stop trying to solve things on their own.  They
just need to...

The Deceiver:  (interrupting)  Yea, enough OK?  I've heard you say it a
thousand times.  They don't need anything.  Besides, I give them
everything they ask for and desire.  I'm leading them to the place of
their choosing, not where you're telling them to go.  You need to open
up and be more accepting.  There is no, 'one place' for everybody. 
People want to choose their own path.

The Provider:  Your lies and deceit will fade away once they see the
truth, the real truth!

The Deceiver:  Lies and deceit!  I never lie to anyone.  They know from
the beginning what's coming.  The truth is, you can't handle the fact
that more people choose my truth over yours.  (lights go out, guys leave
stage)


Act I, Scene II

(Mary, Deceiver and Provider come on stage.  Mary sits down and picks up
the phone.  Lights come up on Mary.  Music is playing in the background)

(Lights come up on Suzy and phone rings)

Suzy:  Hello?

Mary:  Hey Suz, what's up?

Suzy:  Nothing really.  I'm just bored here at home, doing some writing
and stuff.  What's that music?

Mary:  Well I'm over at Tom's, he's having a party.  It's real loud, I
had to come upstairs to use the phone.  You should come over, everyone's
here.  Oh, and you'll never guess who was asking if you were here...

Suzy:  No way, not Brian?

Mary:  Yep, and he looked REAL anxious to see you.  So come on over.  I
promised Tom I'd call some more of my friends and invite them, so don't
let me down.  You know how I'm trying to get him to notice me.

Suzy:  Well, O.K.  But I don't want to stay too late.  This girl I work
with has been inviting me to come to her church with her for over a
month. Yet, I keep waking up too late or finding some other excuse not
to go.  But I think I'd like to try it out.

Mary:  OK, whatever.  But your coming right?

Suzy:  Yea, I'll see you in about 15 minutes.

Mary:  Cool, I'll see ya then.  Bye.  (hangs up the phone and dials
again)

Suzy:  Bye. (hangs up the phone)

(lights go down on Suzy and up on Jennifer as phone rings)

Jennifer:  Hello?

Mary:  Hey, Jen it's Mary.  What are you doing?

Jennifer:  Not much.

Mary:  Good, then you can come over to Tom's.

Jennifer:  Tom's?

Mary:  Yea, he's having a huge party.  All the guys are here.  You've
got to come over.  You remember where Tom lives don't you?

Jennifer:  Same place as last summer?

Mary:  Yea, the blue house.

Jennifer:  I'll be over in a few minutes.

Mary:  See ya then.

Jennifer:  Bye.

(Both hang up the phone and exit the stage.  Provider and Deceiver come
to the center of the stage, lights come up on them.)

Deceiver:  Look at that.  When they needed someone most, Mary was
there.  What a true friend.

Provider:  True friend?  The only friend I see is the one at Suzy's
work.  She's interested in her for who she is, and doesn't call only
when she wants to make a guy notice her.  Did you know that Suzy's
friend at work has been praying for her for over a month now.  It's just
a matter of time until her walls of pride, fear and frustration come
down.

Deceiver:  Yea, well what about Jennifer.  She loves what I give her and
doesn't want anything to do with you.

Provider:  Yes, she is a bit harder than Suzy.  But she has not been
given the chance or opportunity to see the truth.  Those around her, her
friends or acquaintances at work, do not share with her the cure.

Deceiver:  I'm tired of hearing about this cure of yours.  My people do
not want your cure, they are happy.  Can't you see that?

Provider:  Happy?  Is happiness not knowing what your life means or
where you will spend eternity?  Your people may find happiness for a
moment or for an evening, but they will continually wake up the next
morning asking for and seeking the same happiness they sought the day
before.

Deceiver:  Oh yea.  Well what about those that once followed you, now
choosing to follow me?  What can you say about that?

Provider:  Everyone is given a chance, some are given many chances. 
Some choose to come to me and others do not.  Some leave me, but I never
leave them.  If someone falls away from me, all they need to do is reach
out their hands and I am there.  Many, like Suzy and Jennifer, have
built up barriers that make them think that I am not here.  While
others, they listen to you and your deceit and lies.  I give people
hope!  What do you give?

Deceiver:  I give them what they want and ask for!

Provider:  You give them death.

Deceiver:  Well, they chose it.  So I'm just following through on my
promises.

(Lights out, exit stage)


 Act II, Scene III

(Suzy, Jennifer, Mary, Provider and Deceiver all enter bringing, girls
bringing phones.  All sit down (Provider next to Suzy and Deceiver next
to Jennifer) as lights come up on Mary as she is dialing the phone.)

Suzy:  (phone rings she picks it up)  Hello?

Mary:  Hey Suz, it's Mary.  I've been trying to call you all morning. 
Where have you been?

Suzy:  Oh, I went to church with this friend from work.  Remember?  I
told you about it last night?

Mary:  I think so.  (pause)  Church huh?  What was it like?

Suzy:  Well, first, they did a lot of singing.  Then a man got up and
read out of the bible.  He talked about people searching for hope in
their lives.  It was OK, I liked it I guess.  I think I want to go back
next weekend, what that guy said made some sense.  A lot of it was real
extreme stuff and all, but so is life right?  Hey, do you want to go
with me next time?

Mary:  I don't know.  (pause)  Can I get back to you on that one?

Suzy:  Sure, just let me know.  It would be fun to go together.

Mary:  So anyway, I didn't see you to much at the party last night.  Did
you see Brian?

Suzy:  Yea, I did.  But he was real drunk and not much fun to talk to,
so I just left early.

Mary:  You didn't miss much.  It seemed fun at first, then people got
crazy and broke some of Tom's windows.  Guess there was a fight or
something, I don't know.  I mean, I get silly when I drink but I don't
lose control.  I just do it to have fun.  Oh, and Tom.  Don't worry, I'm
over him.  I saw him flirting all night with Rebecca.  That's about it. 
What are you doing today?

Suzy:  I'm going to relax and do some writing.  What about you?

Mary:  You know me, busy, busy, busy.  Always have a plan or two,
sometimes three.  Don't worry about me, you just have fun writing and
I'll talk to you later.

Suzy:  OK, oh, and let me know about the church thing.  I'd really like
to go with a friend.

Mary:  I'll let you know.  Talk with you later, bye.

Suzy:  Bye.  (Lights go out on Suzy and up on Jennifer as Mary dials
phone)
Jennifer:  (phones rings, she picks it up)  Hello?

Mary:  Hey Jen.

Jennifer:  Hi Mary.  That was some party last night huh?  You were
right, there were so many cute guys there.  I think I danced with each
one of them.

Mary:  You were all over the place last night.  I don't think I've ever
seen you that sociable before.  Where did you get the courage?

Jennifer:  I figured it out Mary.  Positive thinking.  I just decided to
think positive thoughts and I'd be a happier person.  And look, it
worked.  Guys noticed me and I had fun.

Mary:  But aren't you worried...

Jennifer:  (interrupting, upset)  See there you go, negative thoughts. 
You need to be positive, stop being a worry-wart.  Have some fun.

Mary:  I do have fun, I invited you to the party didn't I?

Jennifer:  Yea, I guess you did.

(Lights go out on the girls, but they continue to talk.  Provider and
Deceiver rise to center stage, light come up on them.)

The Deceiver:  Looks as if you have failed.  Suzy even went to your
precious church and found nothing.

The Provider:  Suzy's journey is just beginning.  There is no such thing
as a quick fix.  She has a lot of questions to be answered and a lot of
pain that needs to be dealt with.  She has not opened up to allow
healing to take place.  She feels alone and has a hard time trusting. 
In time she will see that I will always be there for her and what I
promise her is unchanging, the rock she seeks to cling to.

The Deceiver:  It won't be long until Suzy realizes that she needs
something that changes as her needs change.  An unchanging rock!  There
is no such thing on earth.  Besides, look at Jennifer.  She's looking
for someone who can help, and she's found a great friend in Mary.  Not
to mention, she is happier now that she is thinking more positively.  As
long as a person is happy and feels good, they are having a great life.

The Provider:  You provide things that cause short-lived happiness.  You
give them drugs to cover their symptoms, leaving the disease unchanged. 
Drugs that have been cleverly designed with flowers and beautiful
scents.  They come to you so you can take away the pain, not realizing
that all you do is numb it.  Soon the pain comes back.  All you've
created is a world full of drug addicts.
The Deceiver:  I guess your right, but I'm only doing my job.  I
wouldn't have to provide them if the need wasn't there!


 Act I, Scene IV

(Suzy, Jennifer and Mary enter stage.  Begin writing.)

Suzy:  I still don't know why my dad left.

Jennifer:  Mary hasn't called me since the party, it's been two weeks. 
I thought she was my friend.  Just when I thought she cared about
me...oh, what does it matter.  No one cares!

Suzy:  I'm still so confused, I have so many questions.  What if what
that guy said on Sunday was true?  Can I really go to "Him?"  He did say
that was the place of comfort and rest for the weary.  Oh, I don't know.

Jennifer:  I try to think happy thoughts but it doesn't always work. 
What I feel on the inside is not what people are seeing on the outside. 
I feel so fake, like I'm hollow with no substance.

Suzy:  People like Mary seem to have it all figured out.  She is
beautiful, knows all the right people and is always so bubbly and
cheerful.  What does she have and how can I get some?

Jennifer:  I know why Mary doesn't call me.  I'm not perfect enough for
her.  She's got it all figured out, and doesn't want to hang-out with a
loser like me.  I wish I could be her!

Mary:  People say I'm the most popular girl, I have all the right
friends.  Well, where are those friends now?  I'm tired of putting on
this act that I have such a busy and star-studded life.  I just don't
know who to be sometimes.  Yes, I have money.  My parents, well they're
OK, even though I never see them because they're vacationing somewhere. 
I drive a nice car.  But who do I have to really talk to that will
listen?  Who will love me for who 'I' am regardless of all my flaws?

Suzy, Jennifer and Mary:  (together)  I don't know, I guess I'll figure
it all out sooner or later.

(Lights out)

THE END