Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

All through the Bible, God used people that most people wouldn’t use. God specializes in restoring broken vessels (people).  He takes those who aren’t productive, because of broken marriages, illegal drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, adulterers and homosexuals and teaches them to be victorious and fruitful in His service to mankind.

I’m reminded of the time when I just turned 40, depressed, fighting the demon of alcoholism, full of guilt, praying to die and God directed me to a retreat at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Covington, Louisiana. The retreat was for men who had problems with alcohol. The retreat master was Father Tom Cronin (now deceased). God used him to tell me something I’ll never forget.

In a one-on-one session with Father Cronin, I shared that I had no desire to continue living.  He asked, “You aren’t afraid to die?”  “No.  I’m tired of living,” I answered.  He then told me that I had a big problem. “Dying is a cop-out,” he continued.  “Living the way God wants us to live is the exciting challenge.”  He added that if I ever realized how much God loved me, I would start loving myself and start living.

This took place on a Saturday and the Saints were scheduled to play the next day.   “Harold,” he said, “if the star player for the Saints gets injured tomorrow and can’t continue playing, what happens?”  “They put in a substitute,” I replied.  “Suppose the   substitute gets hurt, what then?” he asked.  “They put in another substitute,” I answered.

“That’s right,” he said.  “In a football game, there are substitutes for players, but in the game of life, God has no substitute for Harold Keller.  God has a good, exciting, perfect plan for your life.  It’s now up to you to execute His plan, or reject it, but one day you will have to answer to Him.”

It’s been almost 48 years ago that God used Father Cronin to get my attention. Today, I’m excited about the plan God has for my life.  I haven’t executed every plan of action that God has for me with perfection, but I keep pressing on, knowing that there is no substitute for what God has asked me to do.

 

 

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 504-881-0113, or e-mail hkeller@comcast.net.