← Scripts

Travis and God, 1.

HEARING God

TRAVIS: Oh dear God, I just want to thank you for bringing me here. It’s been an awesome day so far. I mean, I just want to thank you, Lord.

LORD: You’re welcome.

TRAVIS: (a beat.. he looks up, then) Who’s that?

LORD: We’re you talking to me?

TRAVIS: G…. no.

LORD: You talk for 15 years then you’re surprised when I talk back? Okay, you want to be that way. I’ll just shut up.

TRAVIS: No! I mean… I mean, I’m sorry. I just didn’t…I didn’t…

LORD: You didn’t know that I could talk to you?

TRAVIS: It’s just that…you know… I’ve never heard you before. I mean, not like THIS.

LORD: That’s funny. I’ve been speaking to you since the day you were born.

TRAVIS: Then… I mean, how come I didn’t…

LORD: Why didn’t you hear me?

TRAVIS: Yea.

LORD: I’m a gentleman. I hate to shout.

TRAVIS: But God, you don’t have to shout. Just talk and…

LORD: I’ve been speaking to you all day.

TRAVIS: You have? That’s funny. I didn’t hear anything.

LORD: I know. What happened when you go up this morning?

TRAVIS: Well…I took a shower and…

LORD: Before that.

TRAVIS: Uh…I uh… God, I had to go to the bathroom really bad. I hope you weren’t talking then.

LORD: I’m always talking. But before that?

TRAVIS: Geesh, I don’t remember. I was sleepin’ and the radio went off and…

LORD: The what?

TRAVIS: The radio. On my alarm.

LORD: Yea, I know. The music woke you up… and when did you shut it off?

TRAVIS: Heck, I don’t know. I guess I kept it on while I got dressed then I went downstairs…

LORD: And you turned on the television….

TRAVIS: Yea, then I got in the car …

LORD: With the radio on….

TRAVIS: (a beat) I think I see where we’re goin’ with this.

LORD: But you turned off the radio to get out of the car…

TRAVIS: Hey yea! You’re right! I turned off the music.

LORD: And went off by yourself?

TRAVIS: Are you kiddin’? This is Green Pastures! All my friends are here! I went up to _____ and _______, and then ______ came around and….

LORD: You think I want to talk louder than ________?

TRAVIS: You mean……?

LORD: How can I talk to you Travis, when you fill your whole day with sound? Does silence scare you, Travis? Are you afraid of being alone?

TRAVIS: Everybody’s afraid of that, aren’t they?

LORD: Yes. But they’re not alone. They’re never alone. Imagine your best friend telling you that when he was with you he felt lonely. Would that break your heart, Travis? It does mine.

TRAVIS: (a beat, then) Gosh. I’m sorry, Lord.

LORD: (a beat, then) Do you think you’re the only one who cries when they get ignored?

TRAVIS: You… you mean that you….? I…I never thought of that. I mean, you’re God. You’re bigger.

LORD: So are my tears.

TRAVIS: I’ll try, God. I really will. It’s gonna be tough. I mean, we’re gonna spend this weekend singing and dancing and having hug attacks and hey face it, this group is really loud.

LORD: I like it, Travis. I love it. I love it all. That thing with ________ was really great… But do me a favor, would you?

TRAVIS: Sure… I mean, how would I turn down God?

LORD: Oh, it’s easy. You’ve done it before. But just do me this one favor. Sometime… … just get alone and listen. I’d really like to talk. I mean, let’s face it, Travis. You spend hours asking my advice then you don’t ever stop to get my answer. Believe me, Travis. I’ve got more answers than you’ve got questions. I am the Strongest Link.

TRAVIS: Hey! You’re funny, too! I never knew God was funny!

LORD: I’m a scream. You ever seen a platypus?

TRAVIS: (laughing) Cool!

LORD: Something just came over me one day. I was just kidding around and ….poof. Platypus.

TRAVIS: That is so cool! God does stuff just to have fun?

LORD: All the time. I made Matt Meyer, didn’t I?

TRAVIS: Hey, look. I promise I’ll get off by myself today. This is fun.

LORD: But let me warn you, it’s addictive. (a beat, then) See ya ‘round….. dude.

TRAVIS: Cool!

LORD: (a beat, then) Cool!

Travis and God 2 Sacrifice

TRAVIS: (enters and begins to pray) Well God, I blew it. (he listens..nothing) I mean, here I am at Green Pastures and even here I blew it. Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?

LORD: I saw it.

TRAVIS: So whadda you think?

LORD: (a beat, then) You blew it.

TRAVIS: Oh geesh…even God can’t forgive me.

LORD: I didn’t say that.

TRAVIS: How can you do that, Lord? How can you watch me make the same mistakes day after day and then keep on saying that’s alright?

LORD: I never said it was alright. I just said that I forgive you.

TRAVIS: Even when….?

LORD: I saw it all, Travis. Some of your best buddies got up there to perform today and instead of praising me, you got jealous of them.

TRAVIS: My best friends, Lord!

LORD: Sometimes…that’s what friends are for.

TRAVIS: Did you see those guys dance and sing? I mean I was happy… but…I don’t know. I wanted it to be me.

LORD: Face it, Travis. You blew it. And then you did it again.

TRAVIS: What? I did what, Lord?

LORD: When you got up to do your number? What were you thinking about, son?

TRAVIS: I…I don’t remember…

LORD: You. You thought about you. You asked someone to pray for you then you didn’t listen to the prayer. You said you gave the glory to God but all you could think about was how you looked to others. .. and that girl on the aisle.

TRAVIS: You know everything, don’t you.

LORD: It goes with the job. Did you know that’s why you were nervous?

TRAVIS: I always get nervous when I get in front of people.

LORD: Well guess why. Look Travis, I’ll tell you a secret. You think about yourself and your knees shake. Think about me and you’re fine. It’s called focus, Travis. Where’s your focus? Even here at Green Pastures you spend most of your time thinking about yourself. Your hair, your clothes, how you look, how you act. I’ll tell you one thing, Travis. If this is performing arts camp, then you’re putting on quite a performance.

TRAVIS: (a beat, then) I feel really lousy. How can you forgive me, Lord? I mean, you’re so much …you know…you’re perfect. And then look at me. I let you down all the time.

LORD: No you don’t.. I mean…you get it right occasionally.

TRAVIS: How can anybody that’s pure goodness like you, forgive somebody like me?

LORD: I’ve had lots of practice.

TRAVIS: Then how do…..?

LORD: Slap yourself.

TRAVIS: Huh?

LORD: Slap yourself.

TRAVIS: That’ll hurt!

LORD: I know. Go ahead. Do it for me.

TRAVIS: This is the weirdest prayer I ever prayed. (he tries a couple of times to get up the nerve, then slaps himself on the cheek) Oow! You know, this prayin’ was a whole lot more comfortable before you started talkin’ back to me.

LORD: Now imagine your best friend out there. Imagine that every time he makes a mistake, you slap yourself.

TRAVIS: That’d be really crazy! _______ makes a lot of mistakes!

LORD: I know. I made him. But just imagine it. How’s your little brother today?

TRAVIS: Oh he’s great, Lord. This is his first camp. I’ve never seen the kid so happy.. (he stops) What’s he got to do with this?

LORD: Imagine with me, Travis. Imagine that every time you saw somebody do something wrong, you went and slapped your little brother.

TRAVIS: No way! That’s ridiculous, Lord. I mean, that’s really crazy!

LORD: Yes, makes no sense at all. That’s why I did it.

TRAVIS: You slapped Tommy?

LORD: I did more than that, Travis. I let my own son die so you won’t have to suffer for your sins.

TRAVIS: (a very long beat as Travis lets this sink in) I….I’m really sorry, Lord. I understand you now. Believe me, I understand you.

LORD: When I see you sin, Travis… I don’t hit you with a lightening bolt. I cry for you, you know that? When I see you do things that I know will hurt you, I cry. I don’t shout and yell and think of how I’ll get back at you… I just…. I just weep.

TRAVIS: (a beat, then) I’m sorry, Lord. I am so sorry.

LORD: I gave the most precious thing I had…for you. That’s how much I love you, Travis. That’s how much I love you.

TRAVIS: I’ll never understand why.

LORD: Think of the platypus.

TRAVIS: (a beat, then smiles) Cool.

LORD: Cool.

Travis and God, Part 3

TRAVIS: Lord…? (waits) You here?

LORD: Where would I go? I’m everywhere.

TRAVIS: So how was your day?

LORD: You mean locally, nationally or worldwide?

TRAVIS: Oh. I forgot. I guess you’re really busy.

LORD: Nothing I can’t handle. And what I like best is just talking to you, my friend. And Trav…

TRAVIS: Yea?

LORD: Thanks for giving your life to me in the small group last night.

TRAVIS: Boy, you never sleep, do you?

LORD: I can’t with all this noise. When you accepted my Son as your savior, 10 million angels started singing “Jesus is the Rock!”… thought they’d never quiet down. I hope they don’t. Do you have any idea what happens in Heaven when one person gives their life to Christ?

TRAVIS: Loud, huh?

LORD: When I see it comin’, I put in my earplugs.

TRAVIS: That’s funny. God with earplugs. I’d like to meet those angels some day.

LORD: You already have, but I’ll hold that ‘til later. So…whatta you wanna talk about today?

TRAVIS: Well Lord, I got saved last night and. . . .

LORD: Praise Me!

TRAVIS: Hey, that’s funny. “Praise Me!”

LORD: I wasn’t being funny.

TRAVIS: Oh. Sorry.

LORD: (a pause, then) Gotcha!

TRAVIS: (laughs with relief) But look..I’m really worried about this friend of mine. I don’t think he’s given his life to Christ. And I’m not sure about all of my family either. You think maybe you could send some of those noisy angels down and….

LORD: It’s up to you, Trav.

TRAVIS: Me? It’s up to me if my friends get saved?

LORD: I’ve got ten million angels here with their hands tied. They can’t do a thing Trav, until you give them the power.

TRAVIS: Me? I’m in charge of ten million angels?

LORD: For a start. I’ll send in the rest when you’re ready.

TRAVIS: Holy cow!

LORD: No. Just angels. I can take the noise but not the mess.

TRAVIS: (a beat, then laughs) There you go again!

LORD: Listen to me, Trav. Once you begin to pray, all the powers of heaven and earth are at your fingertips. When you don’t pray…like you did last summer once you got away from camp…my angels are powerless. Powerless, Trav. Zip. Nada, baby.

TRAVIS: That is totally awesome, God. I have that much power?

LORD: No. I do.

TRAVIS: You know God, you are really smart.

LORD: That’s how I got the job. (laughs)

TRAVIS: Hey this has been fun… I mean just talkin’ with you. Not on my knees prayin’ for good grades or to get a date or grandpa’s health…just talkin’. We should do this more often.

LORD: You know Travis, you’re pretty smart yourself.

TRAVIS: And we can do this…like..forever?

LORD: ‘Til the ends of the earth… I think that’s how I put it.

TRAVIS: Used to be God…used to be I’d leave camp and I was all sad and in a day or two the feeling was gone.

LORD: Take a hint, Travis. This year….

TRAVIS: Yea?

LORD: Take me with you.

TRAVIS: (singing) “Jesus is the Rock….”

LORD: (singing) “And he rolls your blues away….”

TRAVIS: Yea!

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