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 was
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.
~ 1 Corinthians 1:18 ~
"For the preaching of the cross is to
them that perish foolishness; but unto
us which are saved it is the power of
God." (KJV)
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