Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday May 16, 2007

A popular song repeats the phrase, "Friends are friends forever." I think this is true, for Jesus speaks of His friendship to us, thus making friendship eternal. Friendship will outlast all other human relationships, for in heaven even marriage is officially over, but those married folks who have also been friends will still be friends, sans the marriage.

Thus when occupied with a task, the phone rings, the wire service gongs and news of substance is hitting the media, you stop and find out just what is the hubbub all about. And then you know. A friend of stature has as James Gillespie Magee wrote in "Farewell to the Courageous Crew" "slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God." As the news sinks in, a certain numbness creeps over the finality of the event, you know that friends are friends are friends forever and you wish you have been more up to date in the friendship. It matters not whether the friend is famous, or one who labored in the backwaters of life, unknown to but a few friends, you being one of them, you wish you had been there more.

The Bible says "A friend loveth at all times," and such was my friend Dr. Jerry Falwell. Two of my children graduated from his school, but our friendship goes back long before those two wonderful days of clasping the sheepskin.

Jerry proved to be a friend in a special time of need in that he agreed to testify in my trial as an expert on church finance, but the court decided he was not an expert. Such is life. Over the years prior to and after my being imprisoned, Jerry always acknowledged my presence with an often embarrassing notice; "It's good to see my friend Larry Lilly here tonight." This during a time when other friends would agree to lunch, but out of town where no one would notice!! Life has its humor. Jerry was big enough to be the friend of a little guy in trouble.

Back in December 1979 the great speaker for America and Christ and against communism, Fulton J. Sheen passed this life and it was said by Cardinal Edward O'Meara,

"A voice is silent in the midst of the church and in the land, the like of which will not be heard again in our day."

I have been fighting a losing battle to not use this in regard to Brother Falwell, but in a way it rings with truth, there was only one Jerry Falwell, as there was one Fulton Sheen and certainly one Billy Graham. Yet we are certain that Jerry's voice will live as long as men love Jesus and freedom.

Many are the detractors on both right and left, yet the voice of Jerry ringing out, "You must be born again" will outlive the criticisms of other areas of his life and ministry. God has a way of keeping the memory and the power of the primary mission at the front of the human heart.

When the sand in the hour glass of our time has run the course, friends, big and small will still be friends, for as the song states, "Friends are friends forever."

So long for a while Jerry, we will meet in the morning just inside the Eastern Gate.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit

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