“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
– Mark 12:29-31
At 99 years of age, Billy Graham went home to be with Jesus and his bride Ruth. My first response was sadness for our Christianity’s loss. In my eyes, Billy Graham was the greatest evangelist for Christ to ever live. He shared the gospel with, and changed the lives of, millions of people around the world. I was at a LifeWay conference in Nashville, Tennessee when I heard the news. The leaders at LifeWay who had known Billy, Ruth and their children had a response that I at first found curious. They were overjoyed.
As I listened to the reasons for their joy, I learned two beautiful things about Billy’s heart. They told me Billy couldn’t wait to be with his first love Jesus and he missed Ruth terribly. He was a man truly driven by love.
Once a reporter asked Ruth Graham if she’d ever thought about divorcing Billy. She said, “No, I’ve never thought of divorce in all these 35 years of marriage, but I did think of murder a few times.”
I’m sure being married to a man who wanted to reach the whole world for Jesus Christ was a wild ride. Most of us hope to love our family and friends well. Billy’s vision was to have this for love for the entire world. He took the great commission seriously and followed Jesus’ final words every day of his adult life.
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus said, “Go” and Billy went. His vision was simple: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love others (Mark 12:29-31). Wherever Billy went, he shared the gospel and made disciples. His powerful love changed our world. I will forever be grateful, aren’t you?
Here’s a challenge for you to honor Billy Graham this week:
Be Brave! Lead with Love!
Where is God calling you to GO and share your faith in Jesus? It might be on a walk with a friend, around the lunch table at work, in the car with your children, or while checking out at the grocery. If you’re willing to take the challenge, God will bring someone into your path. Be on the lookout.
Remember…we’re living in a time where darkness is pressing in all around us. Everywhere we go, people are hurting and desperate for Jesus, the Light of the World.
Will you be brave this week and give the reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15)? When you do, the joy you experience can remind you of Billy Graham’s joy in heaven with his first love Jesus and his true love Ruth.
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