Pod the Alien Sketch : ‘Why can’t I see God?’

Standard entrance (Compere responds to banging on the door) Look he’s arrived. That’ll be Pod now. (Spaceman enters)

Hello everybody. I’m back.
Hello Pod. It seems like ages since we’ve seen you
Yes, you’re right there Tina. But that’s because you haven’t been having any family meetings have you?
No, but we’ve been doing lots of other things.
…And I must say that I’ve only just got here in time! I see from your website that you won’t be back here until September. And what’s more it looks like there are lots of other churches hanging around outside, just waiting to get in here and take over!
Don’t worry Pod. That’s not going to happen. Although you are right about us having a change for the summer. But anyway, I’m surprised that you can get to our website from outer space!
Ah that’s nothing! I have my own webpage on the BCC site. And people can email me beyond the stars, and partake of my wisdom.
So what wisdom have you to pass on to us today, Pod?
No, no, no. You‘ve got it the wrong way round, Tina. I’m here to ask you a question. And I’ve got a really tricky one today. In fact I think you might regret taking the job of inter-Stella liaison.
OK then, fire away – we’re ready for it.
Well, I know that you love to sing to God
Yes, that’s true
And you pray to him as well
Yes we love to talk to God
And He gives you pictures and messages.
Yes He does sometimes. It’s exciting isn’t it?
Yes, but why is it that you can’t see Him?
(pause) ooh, well that’s an interesting question! (pause) I’ve not really thought about that before (pause)
(impatiently) Would you like to think about it now, please?
(thoughtfully) Now Jesus said that if we wanted to know what God was like, we should look at Him, because Jesus and God are just the same.
But you haven’t seen Jesus either have you?
No, but lots of people did at the time
But they didn’t take any pictures did they, I know if I met someone as important as Jesus I should want my photo taken with him.
That’s only because they didn’t have cameras then.
Oh! He really did mix with poor people then.
No Pod, it’s a good question and it deserves an answer. The reason that we can’t see God would be because; He doesn’t want to be seen.
But that’s silly, if I were God I should want everyone to see me. Then everyone would see how great and powerful I was, then everyone would do what I say, and no one would even dare to disobey me.
Well that quite true and God has promised that one day Jesus will come back from Heaven, and the whole world will bow before him.
Yeah, that’s how it should be!
But Jesus wants us to love Him, and to show it by doing the things that please Him, even when we can’t see that He’s watching us. That’s something that we call, Faith: To know that He is close to us even if we can’t see Him.
But there must be so many people who don’t believe in Jesus. If they could only see Him they would have to believe
But God has given us plenty to see, just look at the sky, the sun, the stars, and the sea, the mountains, the trees, all the different animals, and the people around us. Only a fool could fail to see that the wonders of the world had been made by God
Yes. Yes! I see it’s a bit like the wind, isn’t it. You never see it. But you do see the trees moving, and you feel it on your face, so you know that it’s there. Is that what you mean?
Yes, that’s right Pod. You know Jesus told a story. It was about a man who was coming back from a journey away, and how he wanted his servants to be doing the right things, even when they thought he wasn’t watching them. So that whenever he came back, he would be able to be pleased with them.
Oh. So what did happen when he came back?
Well He hasn’t come back yet, because Jesus was really talking about Himself. And one day he will come back. And I want to be doing the things that He will be pleased with. Don’t you?
Yes, and until then, you’ll see all that He’s doing, and feel him close to you, like the wind?
That’s right.
Well I’ve learnt something new on this visit, that even though you don’t see God, you can know that He is close. But one day everyone will know, what you know: that Jesus is God. Well I must go now. Mind out of the way.

Standard exit (leaves. Spaceship takes off : projector & accompanying sound effects through PA. Well there he goes, I wonder when we’ll see him again?)

© M Day 23-Oct-1999 & 08-July-2003