Forever and Ever Amen

Randy Travis has had a rough year. Twice, so far, in 2012 he has been found drunk and charged with DWI. Just last night, near his home in Texas, he was discovered by a passing motorist. He was laying in the middle of the road...drunk, half dressed, and combative to the police who came. I hated to hear the story on the morning news...and hated to see the pictures. He’s a country music icon with a string of number one records...but over the past few years he has had quite a bit of success singing Gospel music. One of my favorite Gospel songs he sang was “Three Wooden Crosses.” Great song, great message, great voice. The temptation is to write him off as a has-been. A drunk. A phony Christian. A dud. The temptation is to make fun of his pictures on the news and in the papers. Most of us who don’t sin “really bad” sins, tend to make fun of those who do. We like to find easy targets and then take turns taking shots. Many of us in the Christian community who have enjoyed his Gospel songs over the past few years will write Mr. Travis off as being hopeless. But maybe there are enough of us who will remember there were times when we should have been written off as well – but we weren’t. Someone prayed for us. Someone believed there was something in us worth saving. Someone looked beyond our faults and saw our needs – and told us about Jesus, and grace, and forgiveness. I’m not condoning Randy Travis’ drunken driving. I’m not even suggesting he’s a Christian. But I am saying he has potential. He is a person who has influence. Imagine if God worked in his heart and turned his life around. Imagine him on national television this coming year talking about all God brought him through. Imagine him giving a testimony of God’s saving and changing grace for all the world to hear and see... I’m glad people didn’t give up on me. I’m glad people prayed for me. I’m glad my mother and my Sunday School teacher saw something in me no one else saw. I’m glad I turned to God and experienced His saving grace. I’m glad I have the promise of eternal life that will last forever and ever...amen. Pray for Randy Travis. God has a way of taking what was meant for bad and using it for good.