RUTH BELL GRAHAM

Obviously, I did not know Ruth Bell Graham, but here a few of my observations and what I think her life illustrates:

A week or so ago, upon the dedication of Billy Graham's library, I watched an old interview with Ruth Graham. During the interview they asked about her early years with Mr. Graham. What struck me was when she said that while she was getting to know Billy Graham she said to God that if it was His will, "It would be an honor to marry him (Billy Graham)." Early on she saw his potential, maybe before Billy Graham even saw his own potential. What this also shows is her submission to God's will. That's a hard one, as any Christian who truly believes in God will tell you. It also shows her willingness to follow Billy Graham wherever God took him. I know it is "unpopular" to talk about submission, but the truly Biblical sense of it is that the wife submits to her husband because he is following what God has placed before him; meaning, the husband is submitting to God. (The man is supposed to treat the wife as God would treat her...btw.) So, when Ruth Bell Graham stated so plainly that she'd be honored to marry Billy Graham, she knew that she'd have to rely upon him (with some input from her, of course) to ultimately make decisions based on how he believed God was leading. That's brave and I believe it brought blessings into her life.

To me, Mrs. Graham seemed to embody the grace and intellect I'd like to have some day. I've been thinking a lot about my faith and how I "walk it." (I know...I have far to go.) Imagine your spouse being on the road all of the time and having to raise your kids and deal with all the domestic stuff yourself the majority of the time. Imagine being fiercely smart, put together, and talented, but choosing to put that to the side of your spouse's calling. Not easy. Again, that is grace. It is also God granting Billy Graham His grace to do what he needed to do as part of his calling.

As many of you know, there is a Bible story about Ruth and how she moved from her homeland to take care of her mother-in-law. Widowed and broke, she also had to resort to gleaning the scraps of grain from a field of a distant kinsman named Boaz. Long story short, he saw her dedication to her task and to her mother-in-law and they ended up together. Why am I telling you all of this? I looked up the meaning of the name, knowing this story. The name Ruth comes from Hebrew meaning "friend." Yes, Ruth Graham loved her husband in a romantic sense, but to live the life they did, she also had to be his best friend and to be his confidant. Imgaine the stories she's heard! Wow! Imgaine all of the amazing things that she witnessed God do, just because she submitted to God.

I saw a quote by Mrs. Graham: "Just pray for a tough hide and a tender heart." She had a husband under constant scrutiny. She was of a faith increasingly under attack. She had to deal with criticism. I think her quote says it all. Be strong, yet compassionate.

As you may notice, she held on to her maiden name. I think it was because of her closeness to her father. He was a missionary/surgeon (both parents were missionaries to China). Because of the relationship she and her father had, she honored both of her parents in her adulthood with her work in the Ruth and Billy Graham Children's center, a hospital for children in Asheville, NC. How did she fund that work? She funded it through royalties from her writings (prose and poetry). She was allowed that major blessing because she submitted to God and His will.

When we submit to God, He puts us where we are supposed to be in His perfect timing. All of that leads to immense blessing.