Mutterings and Musings

Au Revoir Billy

Billy Graham died yesterday. Despite his age (99), it is still something of a shock - and I'm not even of the Billy Graham Crusade generation. I cannot really imagine what the generation before me feel today. Billy Graham was an icon, a faith-leader who brought millions world wide to Christ. I nearly said 'converted,' but I'm sure it was Billy Graham who once told the anecdote; a beligerent man was sitting next to me on a plane. He started pulling me apart for being a Christian and believing in God. He then said 'I was one of you converts you know.' I replied, 'then that's the problem. If you were one of my converts, you were never one of God's.'

Meaning, that the man might have given in to the moment; to peer pressure, social expectation, crowd hysteria perhaps. A momentary overwhelming that did not necessarily include God at all. It certainly didn't seem to include God in the follow up. Sadly, I can't help but wonder how many 'conversions' to altar calls end like this. It makes me cynical of the whole operation; which is a great, sad pity, because crusaders like Billy Graham have been instrumental in the conversion of other faith giants.



So I just want to thank You, Lord, for the immense faith and outward reach of men like Billy Graham. Influential magnates who have sacrified thousand of hours to Your service and who have remained faithful to the end. I thank You that Billy Graham will now receive a greater reward in Heaven than he could ever even begin to imagine on Earth. I praise You that there will already be hundreds, maybe even thousands, of saints in Heaven that can trace their salvation back to something said or done by Billy Graham. I praise You for allowing such a passionate and true man to walk the earth for nearly a centuary and I ask that You comfort and continue to bless his entire family and that You will build them up to be safe and strong in You. That You will protect them from outward jeers, internet trolls, spiteful letters and the outpouring of a foul generation. Please bless them and encourage them; remind them that Billy Graham has not gone, he has simply gone ahead. May he leave a great legacy in his own family of faith, trust and joy.

Father, I thank You for the immense love this man had for his country, but also for the countries and nations of the world. I thank You that he came at the advent of TV allowing his messages to reach even further and wider than the actual crusades themselves and I pray that those recordings will now be played in his honour and for Your glory, and reach out once again to yet another generation. And that those that might have once responded to an altar call by Billy Graham and then fallen beside the way, might take up Your cross again and be renewed in their faith and love for You.

Amen.


Au revoir Billy Graham, au revoir and not adieu.