Sermon Illustrations
Billy and Ruth Graham in Old Age
In August of 2006, Newsweek magazine profiled the lives of Ruth and Billy Graham—not their historic evangelistic crusades and international impact, but there life as an elderly couple approaching their final chapters on earth. One thing that shone brilliantly through the pages of the article was the incredible quality of their marriage. "At night we have time together," Billy says. "We pray together and read the Bible together every night. It's a wonderful period of life for both of us. We've never had a love like we do now—we feel each other's hearts."
Of course, Billy is still Billy, and his gift of evangelism also sparkled throughout the story. "I think about heaven a great deal," he said. "I think about the failures in my life in the past, but know they have been covered by the blood of Christ. And that gives me a great sense of confidence. I have a certainty about eternity that is a wonderful thing, and I thank God for giving me that certainty. I do not fear death. I may fear a little bit about the process, but not death itself, because I think the moment that my spirit leaves this body, I will be in the presence of the Lord."