RALPH’S ULTIMATE PURPOSE
John Matters and I visited Ralph Drennan Thursday. You know, since he came back from WWII, Ralph has run a business of re-binding books. He’s in his 90’s now, so Ralph has cut his hours back a little. He still gets work sent to him from all across the US, because there aren’t many people who do what he does. And his work is excellent. He can take an old, battered, water-and-smoke-damaged mess and turn it into a brand-new looking book. And when I look at Ralph’s work, I think, here’s a guy who found something he enjoys, that he’s very good at, and that very few people can do.
But you know what? That’s not Ralph Drennan’s ultimate purpose for being created by God, is it? Ralph gets winded real easily. Ralph’s joints hurt. Ralph has to take medicine every day. That’s not the purpose for which God made him either. God has something even better in mind! Now, if one day Ralph is binding books in Heaven, that would make perfect sense to me. But right now, as much as it suits him, there’s something more waiting for him.
(From a sermon by Sherm Nichols, "Got Your Head In The Clouds?" 1/30/2009)