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Everyone Has to Make a Choice
ne might assume that growing up in the home of Billy Graham would automatically lead to being a follower of Jesus Christ, but that’s not so. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they have to make a choice whether they are going to accept or reject God’s love and provision. That involves confession, repentance, receiving Christ by faith and choosing to follow Him as Lord.
leaders came from 150 countries to attend the 10-day conference. I went there to help handle logistics for the conference right after I had graduated from Montreat-Anderson College in May. During the conference, I celebrated my 22nd birthday and my parents took me out to eat at a little Italian restaurant on Lake Geneva. After that meal, Daddy and I walked along a pathway beside the lake. My father, who hates confrontation, turned to me and, somewhat nervously, said: “Franklin, your mother and I sense there’s a struggle going on your life.” I stared at him but I didn’t say anything. He had caught me off guard and I wondered how he knew this.
Though my folks insisted I go to church every Sunday, as far back as I can remember, my parents never crammed religion down my throat. They tried to instill in all of us kids the importance of a personal relationship with God. We had daily Bible readings and prayer and I even made a decision for Christ at age 8, but I’m not really sure I understood what I had done. I say that now because I had a rebellious streak that stayed with me in various ways until the time my father confronted me when I was 22 years old.
A Loving Confrontation
Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse
Franklin Graham
In July, 1974, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association sponsored the International Congress for Evangelism in Lausanne, Switzerland. About 2,500 Protestant evangelical
Dad went on to say “You’re going to have to make a choice either to accept Christ or reject Him. You can’t continue to play the middle ground. Either you’re going to choose to follow and obey Him or reject Him.”
“I want you to know we’re proud of you, Franklin. We love you no matter what you do in life and no matter where you go. The door of our home is always open and you’re always welcome. But you’re going to have to make a choice.”
(Cont. on Pg. 3)