Believe- from an old housemate

If you believe not in Christ,

To what purpose is the present life?

Our sojourn here is like the twinkling of an eye

And all our struggle would be but a futile gesture

If there is no hope of life beyond the night.

But Holy Scripture affirms that Christ is the Word made flesh,

And dwelt among us as our fellow man:

He came to die upon the cross for all our sins,

And on the third day He arose from the tomb

To grant salvation to all who believe in Him.

If you believe not in Christ,

How do you explain the universe of miracles?

Is not every leaf, every star, the wind and the rain

Only an iota of his handiwork, each made for man:

To feed him, to light his way, to soothe and to cleanse him?

And the greatest miracle of all is the giving of life-

The miracle of birth and the conquest of death

Which, through His crucifiction and being raised from the dead,

Restores man to his original and benign state:

A state of immortality for all who believe in Him.

If you believe not in Christ,

There will be no peace in your soul throughout your life:

The quest for power, fame and fortune, even if attained,

Becomes useless and counterfeit and unwholesome to the taste:

For these things are at best ephemeral and as sounding brass

that five no true pleasure in their possession.

But how different it would be if the purpose for their achievement

Is to feed and clothe the sheep as it was commended to us by Christ:

Only in this will true joy abound us

And bestow life everlasting upon those who believe in Him.

If you believe not in Christ,

May prayers cause the light to shine upon you,

Beseeching you to ponder the limitless evidence of His presence:

For He has said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life..."

And too, "He who believes in Me shall not perish but have life everlasting."

Yes, there is a purpose for our creation and existence:

It is that we praise and believe in Christ.

Reject not him Who created all things from the beginning,

Setting all things in motion for all time- past, present and future,

And all he asks in return is that we believe in Him.

- Milton Velasco Cook