Springtime Wonder

I actually STILL haven't finished reading "Childwise" as it resides in our guest bathroom and I pick it up here and there. However, I'm putting a new book on my sidebar and I'm actually close to finishing it. I started "Billy" on the way to New Orleans and have enjoyed it more than any book I've read in a long time.

Most people know the name Billy Graham. Yes, he's the elderly man occasionally on tv preaching to 1000's of people in stadiums and bidding them, "Come to Jesus!" Well, I hadn't really ever given it much thought about how one gets to that status in the Christian world until I saw this book laying on a table in a book store.

Wow, how has it been eye-opening. For example, when Graham was 15, he was more often making spit-balls in church than praying. He said to his friend after talking about a traveling evangelist, "You may like him, but I'm just sayin; two things I'll never be: a preacher or an undertaker!" It's been a powerful retelling of how God can use an ordinary person in incredible ways if you just give your life over to Him.

However, another thing I want to say is related to another man mentioned in the book. Have you heard of Charles Templeton? No, me neither before reading this book. In the mid- to late-1940's, he was a nationally known preacher, much more well-known that the just beginning Billy Graham. Templeton preached to stadiums of 40,000 people and had his photograph on the covers of magazines. He, unlike Graham, began to unravel spiritually as his mind and spirit began to disagree.

The following is a conversation between Graham and Templeton (pg. 179).

Chuck looked perplexed, as though he was searching for just the right words. ... "Billy, how can anyone take the Bible as the literal Word of God?"

"What? What do you mean?"

The floodgates had burst opened in Chuck Templeton's heart, and his questions and doubts flowed out like an escaping rainswollen river. "Jonah and the whale? Do you think a whale really swallowed a man and spat him out? Or God making the sun stand still. Do you honestly believe the earth stopped revolving? Where's the hard science to back up these stories?"

Chuck leaned even closer to Billy's face. "And if the Scriptures aren't true in each and every case, doesn't that cast doubt on all of it?"

Billy was astounded and distraught; the pain from Charles's words showed in his face, but he wanted to be helpful to his friend. "Charles," he said, looking Templeton in the eyes, "it's the Word of God."

As I finished reading that section, I looked up and out the bay window in my kitchen. There before me I saw the bright green leaves of springtime lining the branches of the trees outside. Just two months ago, those trees were tall, dead timbers covered in ice and snow. Maybe I haven't seen the whale that swallowed Jonah or was alive to witness the day the earth stopped spinning, BUT I can see leaves growing where there were no leaves weeks before. God's majesty is all around us. If He is able to bring life from apparent death, I find it easy to believe all the Bible to be true. I am saddened by Templeton's departure from the truth, but greatly inspired by Graham's ability through the power of the Holy Spirit to live by simple faith.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

(Click the book image in sidebar for more details.)