Billy Graham is now 96 years-old with Parkinson’s disease. In January
2000 leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina invited their favorite son,
Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.
Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles
with Parkinson’s. But the Charlotte leaders said, ‘We don’t
expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.’ So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the
rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, “I’m reminded today of Albert
Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time
magazine as the Man of the Century.
Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the
conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every
passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest
pocket. He couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets.
It wasn’t there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it.
Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still coul dn’t find it.
“The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know
who you are.I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.’
“Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the
aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he
turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees
looking under his seat for his ticket.
“The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein,
don’t worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don’t need a ticket.
I’m sure you bought one.’
Einstein looked at him and said, “Young man, I too, know who I am.
What I don’t know is where I’m going.”
Having said that Billy Graham continued, “See the suit I’m wearing?
It’s a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling
me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more
fastidious.
So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more
occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which
I’ll be buried. But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to
immediately remember the suit I’m wearing. I want you to remember this:
I not only know who I am. I also know where I’m going.” May your
troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness,
come through your door. Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil
– it has no point.”
Amen and peace, my friends. And may each of us have lived our lives
so that when our ticket is punched we don’t have to worry about where
we are going.
Even at his age and with Parkinson’s Disease, he could still deliver a
powerful sermon…..end of story.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Have a fabulous Sunday! I hope we’re all as assured as Dr Graham is.
OF SOME INTEREST: Albert Einstein received instruction in both Christianity (at a Roman Catholic school) and Judaism (his family of origin). When interviewed by the Saturday Evening Post in 1929, Einstein was asked what he thought of Christianity.
“To what extent are you influenced by Christianity?”
“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.”
“Have you read Emil Ludwig’s book on Jesus?”
“Emil Ludwig’s Jesus is shallow. Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrasemongers, however artful. No man can dispose of Christianity with a bon mot!”
“You accept the historical existence of Jesus?”
“Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.
Albert Einstein could not believe in a personal God because he couldn’t reconcile God with the evil and suffering on the earth. Mr. Einstein needed good teaching.
Z
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