1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness
to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power
of God.” (NIV)

In 1967 while taking a class in photography at the University of
Cincinnati, I became acquainted with a young man named Charles Murray who
also was a student at the school and training for the summer Olympics of
1968 as a high diver. Charles was very patient with me as I would speak to
him for hours about Jesus Christ and how He had saved me. Charles was not
raised in a home that attended any kind of church, so all that I had to
tell him was a fascination to him. He even began to ask questions about
forgiveness of sin.

Finally the day came that I put a question to him. I asked if he
realized his own need of a redeemer and if he was ready to trust Christ as
his own Savior. I saw his countenance fall and the guilt in his face. But
his reply was a strong “No.”

In the days that followed he was quiet and often I felt that he who
as avoiding me, until I got a phone call and it was Charles. He wanted to
know where to look in the New Testament for some verses that I had given
him about salvation.

I gave him the reference to several passages and asked if I could
meet with him. He declined my offer and thanked me for the scripture. I
could tell that he was greatly troubled, but I did not know where he was or
how to help him.

Because he was training for the Olympic games, Charles had special
privileges at the University pool facilities. Some time between 10:30 and
11:00 that evening he decided to go swim and practice a few dives.

It was a clear night in October and the moon was big and bright.
The university pool was housed under a ceiling of glass panes so the moon
shone bright across the top of the wall in the pool area. Charles climbed
to the highest platform to take his first dive.

At that moment the Spirit of God began to convict him of his
sins.
All the scripture he had read, all the occasions of witnessing to him about
Christ flooded his mind. He stood on the platform backwards to make his
dive, spread his arms to gather his balance, looked up to the wall and saw
his own shadow caused by the light of the moon. It was the shape of a
cross.

He could bear the burden of his sin no longer. His heart broke and
he sat down on the platform and asked God to forgive him and save him.

He trusted Jesus Christ twenty some feet in the air. Suddenly, the
lights in the pool area came on. The attendant had come in to check the
pool. As Charles looked down from his platform he saw an empty pool which
had been drained for repairs. He had almost plummeted to his death, but
the cross had stopped him from disaster.

(…author not known…but we would like to know…)

“For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of
our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in
relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing
others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you
see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do–submit to
circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and He is
creating something totoally new, a free life! All who walk by this
standard are the true Israel of God–His chosen people. Peace and mercy on
them!

“May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and
personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!”

…the Apostle Paul writing a few years ago to the Church in
Galatia (Galatians 6:12-16 & 18…from The Message)