American Evangelist, Billy Graham, died two years ago this month. Back in January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favourite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honour.
Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he already struggled then with Parkinson’s disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, “We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honour you.” So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, “I’m reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honoured 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. It wasn’t there, so 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.”
Having said that Billy Graham continued, “See the suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit. My wife, 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 for 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.”
The apostle Paul in the New Testament also knew where he was going. From his prison cell he wrote a letter to the Christian Church at Philippi. In that letter he confided his mixed emotions about staying alive on the one hand and accepting death on the other. But when he spoke about that he made quite clear where he was going. Paul wrote, “I don’t know which one I should choose. I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ – which is far better – but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.”
To the Christian Church at Corinth the apostle spoke about our bodies as an earthly tent that we live in for a while but that we have waiting for us “a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens.” He added that when the Christian is away from the body it is in order to be at home with the Lord. Paul knew where he was going. He was going into the presence of His Lord and Saviour, Christ, and the wonderful new creation that He will ultimately bring into being.
It’s sad that there are folk who are in a worse state than Dr. Albert Einstein on that train. He knew who he was; he just didn’t know where he was going. Some people are not even sure who they are. They struggle with their identity. And when it comes to where they are going, that’s a huge question mark.
Christians find their identity in their relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. That not only enables them to know who they are. It also gives them the absolute certainty that they know where they are going.
John Westendorp