It’s not ability but availability

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me if I have a planned weekly and monthly agenda. I smiled and said, “I try, but in ministry work, you’re always on call.” I heard it said that God doesn’t care much about your ability, but it’s your availability that matters to Him. Well, at times, making yourself available can be annoying. For example, this past Tuesday was a holiday. My plans were to stay home, relax, write a few letters and maybe read a little. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. (I like to wake up early.) My plans for a relaxing day didn’t last long, because at 7 a.m. I received a phone call from a young man I’ve known since his high school days, 24 years ago. He was desperate! Crying, he said, “Mr. Keller, I need help! I’m tired of doing drugs. I think I’m going crazy,” all in one breath. “Please, help me!” he begged. “I need help!” he repeated. “I need to go somewhere, Mr. Keller, anywhere, please!” Over the past 10 years I’ve reached out to this young man many times. He has been to four different treatment centers and left each one before he completed the program. I directed him to two of the centers. Needless to say, I wasn’t excited about the phone call. I told him I would try to get him a place to go and to call me again at noon. He called back at 8 a.m. “I need to talk to someone,” he said. We talked, and after the call I called a social detox center in Bogalusa to see if they could take him sometime this week. To my surprise, the man in charge said he had an available bed and he could come that day. That has never happened before. They usually have a waiting list. “Today!” I said, surprised, and I must confess, disappointed. I knew the young man had no transportation and that I would have to make a trip to Bogalusa. Also, I realized my plans to relax and enjoy the day would quickly fade away. I called the young man and told him the news. I tried to discourage him because I didn’t think he was serious. He insisted he wanted to go and was ready to change his life. He had no shoes, not much clothing and no toilet articles. I had to get these things for him before we left at 11 a.m. The trip takes two hours, one way. We spoke and I heard his heart. “Mr. Keller, God has given me so many chances. When will I ever learn?” “I don’t know,” I answered, “but this might be your last chance.” During our conversation he told me that a few days ago, while full of crack cocaine, he called a Christian radio talk show and told the man his problem. “The man prayed with me, Mr. Keller, and he told me that God would forgive me. He prayed for Jesus to come into my heart.” By this time I began to feel guilty about my selfish attitude when I received his call for help. It was then that God reminded me that being obedient was more important than sacrifice. He reminded me that I had made myself available. Did I enjoy my trip? Yes, as only God could arrange what started out as a trip with a bad attitude ended up with my heart full of gratitude. I was grateful that God had chosen me to be a vessel that He could use to reach out to one of His special people. Will the young man change his ways. Only God knows. But this I know: My attitude about being a servant and available should never take a holiday. HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group.