The Passing of Reverend Billy Graham

Billy Graham is one of the most recognized Christian figures in the modern world. Only Mother Teresa and the Pope would be as recognizable. It is said that he has preached to hundreds of millions of people around the globe in nearly 200 countries. Here in America, Billy Graham not only gave sermons throughout the nation, but met with every president from Harry Truman to Barack Obama and was a spiritual advisor available to them all. What a way to have invested his 99 years!

I was fortunate to be able to go to one of his evangelistic crusades during my first semester of college. It was a bus trip, and a lot of us students were excited to travel the three hours to get there. It was something I imagine that many of them are recalling today. Billy spoke, Ethel Waters and George Beverly Shea sang and, at the close of the evening, with some help from Cliff Barrows, much of the crowd responded to his invitation to know Christ.

I have often visited the little town of Montreat where the Graham home is located. It is on a mountain just a few miles east of Asheville, NC. I lived not far from there for several years and would take my little dog up there to walk around Lake Susan and the grounds of the Montreat Conference Center. I would soak in the beauty of the surrounding mountains and just spend time in reflection and prayer. I can recall remarking once that, if God was paying attention to any one place on earth, it must surely be Billy Graham’s “backyard.” I was happy to be in the vicinity.

As of this morning, this remarkable man has been reunited in Heaven with his beloved wife Ruth. He once told TV host Larry King that, despite that she was by then bedridden and could no longer speak, they enjoyed a greater intimacy in some ways than they ever had throughout their many decades together. Larry, having already been through several marriages of his own by then, was intrigued and wanted to know more. The contrast between the lifestyles of those two men, despite their being friends, was unforgettable.

Billy Graham’s passing leaves a unique hole in the Christian landscape around the world. His contribution to individual lives, as well as to the future generations they will one day affect, leaves behind a powerful legacy. So many have stood in awe of this giant in the faith. And today, we witness the closing of the unique and godly final chapter of his life, hallmarked by humility, gratitude and grace. What a life well-lived.