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August Notes from Canon John

‘We Owe Him Everything.....’

An English businessman sat on a train, almost alone in his compartment. As the train pulled out of the station, two young American men came and sat opposite him. They talked quietly to each other. The businessman spent his time looking out of the window enjoying the passing scenery and then after a while began to read his newspaper.

Suddenly and without warning, one of the Americans began to shake violently and slipped off his seat and on to the floor. His companion seemed completely unfazed by this epileptic fit. He loosened his friends clothing, and made him comfortable. From the way he moved it was obvious that he had done this many times before. He looked up and saw that the businessman was alarmed at was happening. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked. “Don’t worry - he’ll be fine” came the reply. “This happens a lot. He’ll be alright in a moment. We just have to wait a bit” As they talked, the American revealed that he travelled everywhere with his friend, just to make sure that he was alright. In fact he had given up his job a few years before to do exactly that.

The businessman was deeply impressed by this dedication and self- sacrifice, and said so. “You don’t understand” the American replied. “We fought together in Afghanistan, and he saved my life. I would not be alive today if it weren’t for him. So you see, I owe everything to this man. Everything I have, everything I am and everything I will be is not enough to say thank you.”

If Jesus Christ went to the extreme lengths of dying on a cross to give us real life, then we owe him everything. Everything we have, everything we are and everything we will ever be.. That’s why many folk become Christians in the first place. People who have discovered just how much God loves them and values them.

The cross of Christ, standing at the heart of the Christian Faith is a poignant and awesome reminder that God believes we are worth dying for. It is the greatest discovery we can ever make!

John Fletcher