Indeed, for 28 years he had steeped
himself in all that the gurus of India could offer. He has had experiences
that indicate that the eastern religions possess real power of some kind or
another. But all that Michael was left with was the memory of the
experiences. He was living, as he says, in a jungle of leafy trees with no
fruit. Then he came to know Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins. Or
rather, Christ came to possess Michael.
It is as Francis Schaeffer put it: “There
are only two types of people: those who seek for truth and those who seek
for self-justification.” Michael is one of those who reached the end of self
– all his spiritual endeavours, impressive as they were, added up to a huge
fat zero – and was found by Christ.
This is a deeply moving and fascinating
account of one man’s spiritual quest. It is yet another illustration of
Augustine’s words: “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are
restless till they find their rest in you.” This is a spiritual
autobiography which deserves a wide readership in these confused and
syncretistic days. It will surely do much good.
Peter Barnes in “Australian Presbyterian”
This is a book one could profitably place
in the hands of one of the many who today are attracted are attracted to
eastern mysticism and the “wisdom” of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Michael Graham’s quest took some 28 years
before he realised that he “had been trying to drink at an empty well”.
It is remarkable that it took him so long
to arrive at that conviction. Yet not all that remarkable given the
attraction of eastern mysticism to his intellectual curiosity and, as he
confesses, one with a “light Christian enculturation”.
Prompted by his father’s mild interest in
mysticism and his own desire for self-realisation, he began his long search
in India.
He gives a detailed account of the years
spent “weaving his way back and forth between the continents of India,
Australia, USA and the UK”.
One needs to concentrate as he describes
his visits to ashram after ashram, guru after guru, devotee after devotee.
It is interesting to see the seeds of doubt sown along the way and begin to
germinate until, in his indecision, he says, “Just show me.”
His years of quest and thousands of hours
of meditation had led nowhere.
It was at this point that he came face to
face with the reality of Christ, and soon after confirmed his decision
publicly at a Billy Graham rally. From that decision there was no turning
back. “It was done.”
The divine promise is, “You will seek Me
and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” There can be no
doubt as to the intensity and sincerity of Michael Graham’s search, nor the
rest and sufficiency he finally found in Christ.
There are many in today’s world with its
spiritual hunger who have embarked on, or are contemplating a similar search
for absolute truth. To all such the book is confidently commended.
Dr George Lazenby in “New Life”
