Earlier this month, I visited the Louisiana State Prison in Angola, Louisiana, where I had the privilege of preaching the gospel at the Main Camp. Along with a wonderful experience of worship and fellowship, I saw the organ which George Beverly Shea played throughout his life. He gave it on his 100th birthday to the inmates of Angola. Mr. Shea died yesterday at age 104. His was a life well-lived and blessed. You can read about My Visit To Angola Penitentiary by clicking here .
Not long after I returned from Angola, I read life lessons which Cliff Barrows shared recently on his 90th birthday. Billy Graham, the preacher and leader of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, made the third public member of this wonderful team. He is 96 years old.
Since I experienced those events, I have not been able to get the longevity of these men out of my mind. After all, they lived under tremendous stress for most of their lives. They were never out of the public eye, and they had many people who desperately wanted to catch them in a fault. Though not perfect, they obviously have lived exemplary lives.
When I think of Billy Graham, Cliff Barrows, and George Beverly Shea I also think of one of my favorite psalms. Psalm 1 speaks of those who are blessed. It tells us there are two–and only two–ways. We can choose the way of life and blessing or the way of disobedience and rejection. We all get to choose.
The Graham team chose the way of obedience and blessing.
Life contains so much we do not understand. We don’t know why godly men die young. We don’t understand the victims of terrorist attacks. But I take comfort in knowing God “knows the way of the righteous” and that He cares for us.
God’s blessings are so clear in Psalm 1.
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
The most wonderful part of this psalm is its conclusion: “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous” (Psalm 1:6).
I thank God for men who have served God obediently, who meditated on God’s instruction and followed God’s way. They have been blessed, and they have been a blessing to millions.
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2 Responses
Good Morning.
You have hit upon several points in this beautiful and encouraging Psalm. “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord… and whatsoever he does shall prosper.” You raise the question, what is “a well spent life?”
One does not have to go far in Scripture to see the qualifications of making such determinations has nothing to do with thinking on the human social level. Always there are temptations for ones with “feet of clay” (a favorite phrase of Dr. Landrum P. Leavell II, President Emeritus at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, age 81 passed to his reward). It is a reminder that God is the judge in such matters and His relationship to the soul here on this side of eternity may not be either appreciated or understood. You can provide your own scripture references out of Isaiah, John, etc about His Ways. In different ways His ‘feed my lambs” are accomplished. There are Church martyrs for a reason. As sojourners, there is a different mind set. Thus we are urged to be “like minded” and to embrace Romans 12: 5, etc. Context is so important; is often elusive. Thank you for highlighting the boundaries of His Law, His Paradigm, His Purpose, the black and white in a gray grey world.
AMEN
Blessings
These three men have been an inspiration and blessing to me and so many others around the world. I loved to hear George Beverly Shea sing at the Billy Graham Crusades. I thank God for having had the opportunity to hear them.