By Lisa Crumbley
Recently, this world lost one of the most inspiring spiritual leaders it has ever know. The Reverend Billy Graham, who was known as America’s pastor, has passed and entered into a place that he had longed to be. Heaven.
In the documentary that aired last Sunday on FOX, he said “I have been asked many times if I fear death ... No ... I look forward to death with great anticipation”. In his preaching, he had one poignant question for his attendees. “ I know I am going to heaven when I die....do you?”
I can only imagine the multitude of people of all races and nationalities who were there at his homecoming because he led them to Jesus Christ. What a legacy for any Christian to leave behind. I am sure that the seed he scattered is still reaping a harvest even after his death. Family trees were changed because of his bold, unapologetic, way of preaching the Gospel.
It got me thinking, am I scattering seed? Am I talking to friends, family, or even strangers about The Great Commission as God calls us to do in Mark 16:15?
"He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
It’s really not that hard to plant seeds and Reverend Graham summed it up in a simple message:
Jesus Christ loves you and God is love.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done in your past - He loves you and He sent his son to earth to be made flesh and die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven.
I remember hearing this message preached at Raymond James stadium in 1998. We went to hear a popular Christian group, DC Talk. I was hoping that my then 12-year-old son would see a different side of the church other than the traditional Catholic Mass on a Sunday.
I will always remember my son turning to me when Billy Graham asked the people who wanted to accept Christ to come to the field. He said “Mom can I go down there?” I thought he was just caught up in the moment, but when I said to him “ You’ve already been baptized and know Christ in your life”, he said, “ I need to make sure mom.” Even though being “saved” was a foreign concept to me as a Catholic Christian at that time in my life, I reluctantly agreed. It turned out to be a wonderful memory that I will never forget.
Did God use Billy Graham to minister to you or your family? If so, share your story in the comment section.