I have the funniest and most unique husband in the world. When we first met, he told me he had an unusual habit of visiting old cemeteries to see the history of the dearly departed and imagine their life stories. This was a first for me and, honestly, I thought it was pretty weird. However, as time went on, he hooked me into going and seeing those who have preceded us. After all, they must all have poignant life stories and pondered “where are you going?” in their latter years.
Each gravestone has two dates with a dash in between – a start date (for birth) and an end date (for death). The dash is for the person’s lifespan, be it short or long. What we make for that dash is up to each of us. As I get closer to my end date, I have asked myself and many others where they are going. There are apparently many people asking the same question, because there is quite a spiritual revival happening here and around the world with throngs of people going to church for the first time or going back for a very long time. I learned just this week of reports that the rapture (Christ’s return for his church) was to occur on September 23 and 24, according to Joshua Mhlakela in South Africa. Apparently, that didn’t happen, because if it did, then I got left behind (as many others did).
I’m not the only one who ponders the question “where are you going?” According to an unnamed source, when Billy Graham was 92 years-old, he was struggling with Parkinson’s disease. In January, a month before his 93rd birthday, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. He initially hesitated to accept the invitation because of his struggles with Parkinson’s disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, ‘We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.’ He agreed. After a multitude of wonderful accolades were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the podium, 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. The ticket wasn’t there. He looked in his briefcase, but couldn’t find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn’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.”
Then 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.”
Billy Graham always makes things so simple! Can each of us say we don’t have to worry about where we are going?
Debby Efurd is co-founder of Cary John Efurd Ministries of Pittsburg, TX. She has been a contributor to Bound for Life and written numerous articles published in LifeNews, Christian Post and the Baptist Standard, and is the author of Go Tell It! Debby can be contacted at caryjohnefurdinistries@gmail.com. Visit her at the Second Mile blog at https://debbyefurd.com.
Tagged: aging, fear and worry
