Grace College - Heritage Yearbook (Winona Lake, IN)

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Bible Conference [ I 21

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Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 20

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Chapel requires your body only — the sign-up sheets can’t check your mind. In case it wasn’t there, the following was well worth listening to ... Student Senate President Jon Hall Inaugural Address: It has been said, ”lf you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” There is no doubt in my mind that we must stand united under one cause. This is the most basic element necessary for the survival of any family, organization, or nation. In fact, an or¬ ganization can stand even if it isn’t for a worthy cause. But no matter who it is, no one, not even Satan him¬ self, can be plagued by disunity and expect to continue. Was not the first division of mankind the time when one man chose to go against that cause for which God had created him? And what was the result of that division? Adam, now, instead of being the prophet, priest, and king of the human race, is the father of a suffering and dejected world. Since that time, through¬ out all of history, man has continually divided himself — the Jews after King Solomon’s death, the Romans in the sixth century . even in our own country, the lives of over 500,000 men were lost, and the nation rent apart because the people could not unite under one cause. What then would be a worthy cause for us, one which would include all of us, whether we are a member of the Board of Trustees, the Administration, faculty, or student body? What would be that all inclusive cause? It can only be this: that each day we individually strive with an unquenchable desire to become that person which we have chosen to be, in order that, first, Jesus Christ might be glorified, and second, that every person we encounter might recognize in us that quality which sets us apart as a unique people. Let me break that statement down and discuss it, so you will understand exactly what I mean. First, ’’that each day we individually strive with an unquench¬ able desire.” This is the basic ingredient in being suc¬ cessful at anything. Each day must be viewed as another chance to get a little closer to our goals. If we take only one day and waste it on frivolous things, we will find it easier the next time to take two days, then three, and so on, until we have wasted not days, but weeks, months, years, maybe even our lifetimes. There¬ fore, we must see that what we accomplish today will affect us in the near and distant future either for good or for bad. We must also individually strive toward these goals. No one else is going to do it for us. Others may counsel us, may give us support and encour¬ agement, but it’s going to be your responsibility and mine, with God’s directing hand, to become as Paul says, men of mature character with the right sort of independence.” Most of all, we must strive with an unquenchable desire; apathy is a sure killer of any good cause. Proverbs states it in this manner: A little sleep, a little slumber A little folding of the hands to rest; Then your poverty will come as a robber. And your want like an armed man. Rather than being like this sluggard, we ought to have the drive that Vince Lombardi has spoken of so well in the statement, ”1 firmly believe that any man’s finest hour is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on th e field of battle — victorious.” The next part is this, to become that person which we have chosen to be in order that first Jesus Christ might be glorified.” It is absolutely necessary that we choose to be somebody, to have goals with meaning. What is important here is not what we will do as an occupation, but what we are made of inside. Without a vision the people perish,” and without a purpose for living there is no strength or desire to even exist. Some have called this the will to mean,” in other words, the will to have a meaningful existence. These goals must be made with the express purpose of first glorifying Christ. If they are made just to please our¬ selves, we will find that they satisfy no one, especially ourselves. It was Solomon, who after seeking and ob¬ taining every earthly desire, said, Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” If the richest and wisest man in all history proclaims self-satisfaction as worthless, who are we to argue the point? Instead, if we let Christ direct our goals, there can only come love, joy, and personal peace. 22