St Michaels University School - Black Red and Blue Yearbook (Victoria, British Columbia Canada)

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CHAPEL STAFF 14 A A W XXX X mmm N 7 H. Culwlmgc, The Rev. C. Blencoe, M. Endean

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life. and that they may have it abundantly. It is abundant life. therefore, that He offers anyone who is willing to trust Him. ln Saint john's Gospel, the words ofjcsus are recorded: I am the Way, He said, I am the Truth and the Life. And no one comes to the Father but through me. lt all boils down to Faith. All you need is the Faith to believe in jesus Christ. This is what makes you a Christian e not just a religious person. This is the turning point of life - just a simple act of Faith. Such a conversion doesn't mean, of course, that you suddenly become perfect. There is no miraculous change - as if you were brain-washed into becoming a completely different human being. You are not physi- cally changed at all. lt is a spiritual change. Faith gives you a Divine source of guidance which you nev- er knew before. It is this sense of guidance that helps a Christian to deal with his daily problems and difficulties. Furthermore, it is this sense of being guided that encourages a man to persist against every failure until finally he succeeds. Faith gives a man Hope. To help you understand better what it means to become a Christian, I would ask you to picture in your mind's eye a circle. ln this circle there are many dots representing the various activities of life. But right in the middle of the circle there is a throne. And on the throne sits the Lord jesus Christ. He sits there in control of your life because you yourself put Him there. When you were not a Christian. you occupied the place yourself and tried to run your own life - usually with disastrous results. But when you become a Christian. you stepped down from the throne and handed your life over to Christ. In the Book of the Revelation. chapter 3. verse 20, there are some words ofjesus that sum up what I have been trying to say. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in unto him. This is a promise that is worth remembering. If in humble prayer we sincerely ask jesus to enter our lives and occupy the throne of our souls. then we need never fear the future. jesus rewards such Faith with the promise ofeternal and abundant life. So Holy Scripture bears witness to this truth: . . . God has given us eternal life: he who does not have the Son does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may have eternal life. One final Word. Living life as jesus asks us to live it is not easy. He makes great demands. He exp- ects a great deal. He doesn't take away the ordinary. everyday problems and strains and hang-ups. But what He does do is to stay with us every step of the way as we journey through life. He takes away any feeling ofloneliness that might attack us. And so, we find a joy and a peace in Him that is greater than anything found elsewhere. jesus doesn't promise us that discipleship is easy. There may be many sacri- fices we shall be asked to make. But the point is that the blessings that come from Faith are so much greater. Perfect, none of us can ever hope to be: we are too human for that. But one thing is certain if we keep Faith with jesus Christ: He will keep His promise and we shall be with Him forever.

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