When Jesus was
asked what the greatest commandment is, He replied, “You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with
all your strength” (Mark 12:30 NASB).
This past month,
quite possibly the greatest evangelist who ever lived, Billy Graham, passed
away. In spite of Billy’s passing, his incredible legacy lives on. He was a man
who perfectly embodied what Jesus said above. He loved God with all of his
heart, soul, mind, and strength. One Scottish minister made the following
observation about Graham: "My first impression of the man at close
quarters was not of his good looks but of his goodness; not of his
extraordinary range of commitments, but of his own 'committedness' to his Lord
and Master. To be with him even for a short time is to get a sense of a
single-minded man; it shames one and shakes one as no amount of ability and
cleverness can do.”
Therefore,
Billy’s life has brought me to a period of self-reflection. Am I wholeheartedly
committed to Christ? While I may not have the giftedness that Billy Graham had,
am I using my God given talents and abilities for the sake of Christ and His
kingdom? What legacy am I leaving behind? How will God respond to me, when it
is my turn to see Him face to face? Are the things that I am living for here
and now make sense in light of eternity?
If a person is
wholeheartedly living for the Lord, the answer to all of these questions will
be positive. However, there are a lot of us who claim to be Christians, yet
could it really be said of us that we love God who all our heart, soul,
mind, and strength? To love God in such a manner as Jesus commands, and as
Billy Graham embodied requires a deep focus and commitment. It is the picture
of a person who is regularly denies themselves of anything that could hinder
following the Lord. Yes, this would include things that are sinful, and it
would include things that are not necessarily sinful, yet they distract us from
following the Lord wholeheartedly. To follow the Lord with that sort of
intensity will make a person look like a fanatic, or a Jesus freak. And that is
exactly the sort of life that God is calling us to (Luke 9:23-26).
God is calling us
to be radical for Him, for He was radical for us. He sent His Son to earth to
live as a poor man when He was and is the King of the Universe. He lived
completely sold out for God and His purpose. He was rejected by many of those
whom He came to save. And He died a death that He did not deserve to die. Now
that is radical. All of this, Jesus did so that He could make a way for us to
live with Him for eternity. And that way includes loving Him wholeheartedly,
with all of our mind, soul and strength. Billy lived this sort of life and I
pray that you do to. So may we recognize
who Jesus is, sell out for Him, and live for Him until it is our time to see
Him face to face., and hear those words which I’m sure Billy has, “Well done,
good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of your Master” (Matt. 25:21).
In His service,
Matt
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