Franklin Graham Recalls Why Mother Ruth Had a Crown of Thorns in Her Bedroom
Some Christians love displaying Bible verses in their homes to remind them of God's love, but Ruth Bell Graham, the late wife of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, had something else in display in her bedroom: a crown of thorns.
Her son Franklin shared on his Facebook page that Ruth was bedridden for the most part during the last months of her life, and she chose to look at the crown of thorns whenever her pain would intensify.
"She would turn herself so that she could have that crown of thorns in view. She said it reminded her of the pain and suffering her Savior willingly endured for her sake," recalled Franklin. "He was mocked and spat on by those He came to save. He was stripped, beaten, tortured, and publicly executed on a Roman cross. But as Christians, we owe our salvation to the fact that it didn't end there."
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God raised Jesus Christ to life again after three days, and He conquered sin and death in His resurrection. Franklin said any suffering person, just like his mother, would do well to be reminded of Jesus' sacrifice and triumph.
"No matter what you're going through today, may you be reminded of the crown of thorns —and that God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for your sins and mine," he said. "That's Good News worth sharing!"
Franklin has nothing but fond memories of his mother, who passed away on June 14, 2007. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association reported on its website that she and Billy experienced love at first sight, and they dedicated their whole lives to serving God.
"It gets better as you get older," Billy once said of their relationship. "The secret is the Lord Jesus Christ – to have Him in the center of our lives."
