A man of unquenchable passion for reaching the unsaved with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, Billy Graham was one of the most remarkable men on the planet—bold as a lion with a Bible in his hand . . . yet humble under God’s mantle of service. God used this great servant’s mouth to proclaim His truth to multiple millions of souls across the globe. Those who knew the evangelist best testify to his lifelong practice of walking humbly with his Lord, remaining faithful to the task before him, and living as a devoted husband to Ruth and a loving father and grandfather to his five children and grandchildren.
Early this morning, Billy Graham finally met face-to-face the Savior he fearlessly and tirelessly proclaimed. We will miss the man’s endearing southern drawl . . . his penetrating blue eyes . . . but most of all, his commitment to keeping the gospel message clear and simple.
Cynthia and I remember fondly the early days in the 1950s, before we were married, following the Houston Billy Graham Crusade, when we ministered together with a revival troupe. Cynthia played the piano, and I led the worship. All the young men on our team, me included, wore white suits and carried big red Bibles—just like the young evangelist Billy Graham.
My life has been profoundly impacted by Billy Graham—by his lifelong dedication to God’s calling on his life . . . his blameless character and honorable reputation . . . his pure love for God . . . and his straightforward, uncompromising proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Today, his final words in his autobiography, Just As I Am, are on my mind: “I know that soon my life will be over. I thank God for it, and for all He has given me in this life. But I look forward to Heaven . . . to seeing Christ and bowing before Him in praise and gratitude for all He has done for us, and for using me on this earth by His grace—just as I am.”
Though he lived almost a century and walked with presidents and kings for seven decades, the most important fact about Billy Graham was that he walked with Christ—in private as well as in public—all the days of his life. Could anything better be said of any of us? He was, truly, “a prophet with honor.”
Well done, good and faithful servant of God. Your eternal rewards will be numerous.
Chuck Swindoll
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