Our two part series on Arising from TTT to TCC is providentially punctuated this week to reflect on the death of Billy Graham who crossed the finishing line last week, marking the end of an era.
Graham was a Moses type figure. My friend David discovered he actually died on the date in the Hebrew calendar when Moses was both born and died! His passing signals the end of an old order……but also the beginning of a new.
It just so happened that evening our son Gilbert whose first name is Joshua got together with his friend Caleb. I believe these two characters in the biblical narrative represent those believers who overcome (their fears and doubts) to lead the way into the promised land of our immortal inheritance.
I read one tribute to Graham from a minister who wrote about the 15 minutes he was able to spend alone with the great evangelist. I reflected on this and was reminded that for each of our lives
“It is for God to determine success; it is for us to determine faithfulness.”
I noticed that my own father was 45 days older than Graham and would have also turned 100 this September. Every time I remember him I see him smiling. My Father was called to be the smiling face of God to me, as Graham was called to be the gracious voice of God to millions.
I was then reminded of the two marathons I have run; New York in 1998 and Twin Cities in 2008.
My goal in both marathons was not a placing or a time. In New York it was to cross the finishing line with my friend Brian from Belfast and in Minneapolis to cross the finishing line with my son Joel. In both cases my goal was that I be in step with each one as we crossed that line together.
This I believe is meant to be our goal in life, no matter how high or low profile our calling may be, to at the end have so adjusted our step that we and God are one.
The voice of God as detailed in 1 Kings 19:12 is still and small and remains so….but to those who long to hear ‘the bridegroom’s voice’ (Jn.3:29) in the midst of the cacophony of other voices, that voice will become stronger and stronger .…..until it is the only voice we hear. Then we will not miss a step, walking in divine, down to earth love.
At the end we will then hear that voice speak the words,
“Well done, good and faithful servant…..enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Wondering about a picture for this blog I looked up from the computer and noticed my number 6712 from the Twin Cities marathon and chuckled…“That’s it!” I thought.
Father reminded me of a time in New Zealand when at the birth place of the church on the North Island of that land at ‘the uttermost end of the earth’ (from Jerusalem) we were lead to each day ponder Psalm 67 verses 1 and 2. (6712)
As we then flew to Christchurch on the South Island the man sitting next to us noticed we were reading the bible. He said, “Do you mind if I show you the verse God used to speak to me about leaving my engineering business in the north island to fly south to prepare for the new era we are now entering?” We said, “Please do.”
He turned to Ps. 67:1,2
“May God be gracious to us and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us. May your ways be known throughout the earth, your salvation among all nations.”
In Good Morning’ Dad we sing, “I see your smiling face…..I hear your word of grace.”
Let us seek to be faithful as part of that company of faceless and voiceless overcomers who become the face and the voice of God to whomever he sends us, whether to one or to one million.