Get a Life!

He became a very dynamic and spiritual person. One was never sure what would happen next with him but it usually was good.

One Sunday morning I noticed that [Bill] was missing during most of the morning service, which was unusual. Toward the end of my message the front doors to the worship center opened and he came walking in with a somewhat strange looking couple in tow. (This was in the hippie days!) He took them into my study (near the front door). Being very curious as to what he was up to this time, I closed the service somewhat sooner than I would usually have done and went to my study.

When I walked in he said, "Brother Jeff, this is [George and Mary] and they want to get saved." Of course, it didn't take me long to get into that mode. I explained the plan of salvation to them and they both committed themselves to Christ, receiving Him as Lord and Savior. After they had prayed, [George] made a very powerful statement. He said, "Up till a few minutes ago before I committed myself to Christ, I felt that there was a deep chasm in my life that I struggled to fill. I tried drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. and found no satisfaction. The chasm just got larger. Now, it is not filled--it is gone!"

As it turned out, [George] had been a local drug dealer. He and [Mary] lived in a little trailer on four acres of woods a few miles from town. There they conducted their activities. On Monday night after they had received Christ, a couple of young men from our community drove out to their house wanting drugs. [George] explained that there was none available. He, [Mary], and [Bill] were gathered around a campfire and were burning all that he had in the fire--getting rid of them.

They explained, "We have gotten saved and don't need them anymore."

The two men were quite upset because their source dried up and so they left. They returned a couple of nights later to challenge [George] and [Bill] to a debate about their new faith. They could out argue them on every point of philosophy but [George] made one statement that they couldn't get around; one that made a great impact in their lives. [George] said, "I can't refute what you have said. I don't know enough to do so but one thing I can tell you is that I have joy in my life and you don't. You have to get yours out of a bottle and mine never leaves. God has given it to me." It wasn't long until God had moved in the lives of these two young men also. His fire was spreading and continued to do so for quite some time.

In our day, people struggle to experience all that life can give them. Often times what they try is destructive to them and their families. A favorite saying of the young is, "Get a life!"

[George], [Mary], and [Bill] had "gotten a life." They found the kind of life that God could give them. They learned that in that path is the presence of joy and great pleasure. As the Psalmist said, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Jeff