Celebrating Billy Graham's Life
As the Bible describes death for the believer, today Billy Graham went to be "at home with the Lord."
To me Dr. Graham represents a lifetime of commitment to Christ resulting in integrity, humility, boldness, and amazing world-wide influence.
As a teenager, I went to Madison Square Garden in 1957 to hear Billy Graham speak. It was a life-changing experience because Dr. Graham gave me a new sense of the potential of effective communication, a vision for a world in need of gospel, and the power of Jesus Christ to radically change lives.
Look back on your life. Who influenced you the most? When I reflect on that question, three men come to mind: my father, William A. Swets, a man who lived his belief; C.S. Lewis, a British novelist, literary critic, and Christian apologist; and the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham.
Here are a few quotes of Billy Graham:
My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.
Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion - it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.
A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.
God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with.
A video on YouTube, called "Billy Graham's 99th Birthday: Notable Reflections," includes comment from Tony Dungy, Ricky Scaggs, and Larry King.
May we all experience the peace of Christ that enables a person to look forward to the coming glory.
Paul W. Swets
dr.swets@gmail.com
