I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to use one person to reach and impact thousands.
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” – Dr. Billy Graham
When I was eleven years old, Dr. Billy Graham came to Rice University’s Football Stadium and preached a fiery message of sin and redemption. I had come with my mom and other members of our church group to see one of my baseball heroes Astro’s shortstop Craig Reynolds. Sitting here now I can’t remember a single word Craig Reynolds spoke but I do remember with uncanny clarity the eloquently simple message Dr. Graham gave. He said that we are all sinners, we have all fallen short of God’s glory and that because of this God had sent his only Son down to earth to save us from ourselves. He quoted John 3:16 and then he looked out into the crowd of what must have been tens of thousands and asked those who wanted to have Jesus in their heart to come forward. By that point I was in tears and more than slightly overwhelmed at the idea that someone who I had never met had let Himself be tortured and killed for me. I remember my mom getting emotional as I walked with her holding my hand down to the field to meet with one of the men waiting in front the stage. He prayed with me and I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and invited him into my heart.
At the time I had no idea who Dr. Graham was. I thought that if we were going to a football stadium and there was going to a member of the Astros there, then it had to be something fun and exciting. It wouldn’t be until much later in my life that I decided to take the Bible as the infallible Word of God, however I believe that it was because of the power of the Holy Sprit working in Dr. Graham that I accepted the Lord at an early age. Because of this I was the beneficiary of an invisible protective force around me, of the Holy Spirit. I believe that I belonged to the Lord when I prayed with my mom and that stranger that night. I didn’t feel any different, but there was an agreement between God and I. When I accepted Jesus that night, I made a pact with God; my life would belong to Him. He watched over me and protected me through my parents. While I haven’t always lived up to my end of that agreement He has always honored His.
As I prepare to leave on the World Race I pray that our Heavenly Father will give me the courage and opportunity to spread the word of His redemptive love to those I meet as Dr. Graham did.
