What Billy Graham Regrets

Newsweek has an excellent interview with Billy Graham in their online edition. I think his response to the issue of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina was excellent. Very often we can only answer “I don’t know” to the “why” questions that people have in times of trouble. Graham provides an example and encouragement as an experienced and respected pastor in being willing to give this answer.

But the main reason I wanted to comment on his interview was to call attention to what he said at the end: “I have regretted that I have not spent more time in prayer, in Bible
study and in the pastoral ministry that pas­tors are usually called to
do.” (Make sure to read the whole interview.)
It’s so easy for those of us involved in Christian ministry of any kind to get too involved in the busy work, in the nuts and bolts of keeping ministry going. Those things certainly need to be done. But we all need to remember our focus. If we don’t make our relationship to God our priority, we’re going to regret it.