Your heart will he moved by this young woman’s testimony of her
D IS C O V E R Y OF R E A L IT Y
By Ann Marie M alinin
Y OU sit there in the dimly-lit, smoke-filled lounge surrounded by others of your age, filled with a spirit of depression and foreboding. You cannot think clearly for the loud music blasting forth from the juke-box. You look around you at what is called the youth of America, at yourself too, for you are no better. And you wonder, if the world is in such a state of chaos and confusion today, what will it be like tomorrow when ruled by the contempo raries of this wild, restless, pleasure seeking youth that searches only after the things of the flesh. You look again, trying to see past the hard, cynical faces with the boisterous laughter, the eyes unnaturally bright, voices thickened, and senses dulled with drink. You wish you had the power to see into the unsearchable realms of their minds and then you have to laugh, for you cannot even see clearly into your own mind. You feel lost, empty, and so very confused. And all of a sudden you feel choked up inside with a sudden desire to leave the stale atmosphere and breathe in the natural air of the out doors. So you make a hasty and some what awkward retreat, and with a sigh of relief fill your lungs with the clean, refreshing oxygen. You begin walking aimlessly, and soon the feeling of relief leaves you and you are once again lonely, lost, and with a deep yearning for something in your life that you know is lacking. Then, as though led by some unknown force, you find yourself approaching a church where you know an evening evangelical service is in progress; a church that you have scorned and criticized, and whose members you term fanatical be cause they do not condone drinking, smoking, movie-going, gambling, danc ing, the things from which you derive your pleasure. However, tonight you are not in a scornful or critical mood and some overwhelming power is draw ing you inside the doors and compelling you to take a seat in the rear of the church, amidst the so-called fanatics. The service is about to begin and something within you tells you to listen with an open mind to what is said. In a way, you feel foolish there and cauti- S E P T E M B E R , 1 9 5 2
ously look around to be certain there is no one there that knows you. Reassured, you begin to relax and listen first to the singing of a hymn, “ Take Your Burden
self becoming lost in the power of his message. He seems to be looking directly at you and speaking only to you. What is this he is saying? “ Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” You had never before thought of religion in terms of personal gain, only of what you would be giving up. But surely it must be that God takes care of those who believe in Him. And then you ask yourself, “ Do I believe in Him?” and before you can answer, you hear the words, “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.” And all of a sudden you know in your heart that this is true, and it fills you with a joy you cannot understand. The speaker closes the message with an invitation to anyone who is not right with God to come forward and open his heart to the Lord and accept Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. You find yourself pushing your way up the aisle with tears of repentance to fall on your knees before God and claim His Son as your own Lord and Saviour. You realize that you are a sinner and in need of His cleansing blood, and in accepting Him, your heart is filled with a peace and joy that you have never before experienced. You leave the church with a song in your heart, and a lightness of step and a strong desire to tell others of the change in your life. Now, as you pass the place where you had wasted so much time in worldly pleasures, you find the desire for these things already dulled in the light of your new relation ship with God. You walk on with a feel ing, not of smugness, but of humility, thinking, “ There but for the grace of God, am I.” You have discovered real ity; your life has a purpose. And from that moment on you are truly “ a new creature in Christ Jesus.” You find yourself growing in grace and as your knowledge of the Lord in creases, you have an unquenchable thirst to win other souls to Him. And for you the verse, “ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” be comes a living truth. Page Nine
Ann Marie Malmin All of a sudden you know it is true and it fills your heart with a joy you cannot understand. To The Lord and Leave It There.” You wonder if there is really a God, all- powerful and all-loving, who will re lieve you of your burdens. If there is, you think it must be only for those people who do not drink or smoke, or do all these other things. And somehow you can only see religion in terms of all that you give up and you cannot imagine yourself living in this world and sep arate from the things of the world. Then there is a word of prayer, more music, the taking of the offering. You begin to feel just as empty and strange here as with your friends but cannot bring yourself to leave until it is all over. The speaker is a youthful-looking man with a benevolent smile and a loud clear voice. As he speaks, you find your
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