John 3:16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
My wife reminded me that today our nation will be burying Reverend Billy Graham.
It was one week ago following a moment of bodily weakness that my nose bled and while my wife drove me to the hospital I discovered that Reverend Billy Graham died just an hour before. Five stitches later I was back home. My mind reflected on the impact Reverend Graham's ministry had on my family. My dad remembers going to a Billy Graham crusade at the old Minneapolis Auditorium. I remember it profoundly impacted his life because he was always there for all 3 of us kids by making sure he took us to Church while teaching us that no matter what happens in our lives the best way to show how much we love God is by going to Church week after week. Through my dad's biblical example, I learned that the greatest act of service we can do is by honor and worship of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
My mind drifted back to the spring of 1974. I was an awkward 18 years old kid, nowhere ready to see what the world has to offer with struggles of my own still searching for my relevance in a world that seemed so harsh.
Through some students at Hopkin's Lindbergh high school, I was invited to a small community church in the Minnetonka Mills neighborhood. I remembered walking in and hearing Christian music emulating from a band at the front. I took a seat alone at one of the tables, taking in the joy I felt from those around me. I remember hearing someone share their personal testimony and wishing I knew such peace.
At the very end, a friend started a conversation with me. I naturally opened up and at one point asked me if I had ever made a decision like the speaker I just heard. Moments later after hearing the gospel presentation, I found my self-bowing my head and asking Jesus to come into my heart after acknowledging that I was a sinner and nothing I could do in this life could possibly earn my salvation.
As I look back over my life, that perhaps was the greatest decision I ever made. I wouldn't know it at the time, but the seed that was planted in my heart was the foundation God was building from which all future decisions flowed
What if while we watch Reverend Billy Graham's celebration of life service did a little soul-searching? What if out of our reflection we discover we need this Savior Jesus? They say that the evidence for God's existence isn't so much the miracles of God but through the 'changed' lives of people who say 'yes' to Jesus and invite the one who shed His life for them in?
Our nation doesn't rest on man-made laws, but on how we respond to the message of Jesus Christ. If everyone who reads this post will take a time to share their own salvation story with someone who needs to hear it, it just might lead to the greatest revival in the history of America.
Thank you, Reverend Billy Graham, for your ability to simplify the Gospel message! My future generation thanks you for the decision I made as an awkward 18-year-old kid.
As a 18 year old kid I remembered all of the Sunday school teachers I had leading up that point. I remembered the stories of Noah, Jonah an the whale, King David and all of the other biblical examples. Through the 'real' stories in my bible I was convinced that Jesus was who he said he was and that I could put my trust in Him.
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