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SEVENTY YEARS
ARE JUST THE BEGINNING #2
TROMBONES AND TURN SIGNALS
Do you ever look back on a time in your life when you
faced a crossroads? You could flip on your turn signal and go to the right
or head off to the left instead? And now, years later, as you look back,
you realize that — for bad or for good — that one moment, that toss-of-the-coin,
defined your life's direction. That one moment was really IT.
Well, today's a day where the Richards family is thinking those very thoughts.
Something happened 70 years ago today which absolutely defined MY life
— the direction God took me. But the entire Richards family was profoundly
changed by it. My brothers. My mom. Grandkids. But especially my father
. . . and because of the spiritual choice he made, the fate of this radio
ministry: the Voice of Prophecy.
Because friend, it was 70 years ago TODAY, October 19, 1929 — right in
the thick of the Great Depression — that Dad first took his Bible, and
his sermon notes, and went into the studios of KNX Radio here in Los Angeles,
and began to preach.
And believe me, this was a crossroads! There was a lot of pressure to
NOT go into that den of iniquity, as many faithful Christians considered
the world of radio to be. And Dad himself had doubts. Could the gospel
message be conveyed in this new, INVISIBLE way? Didn't you need prophecy
charts and graphs? People listening on the radio might not have their
Bibles nearby. Wouldn't Mr. and Mrs. John Doe need to SEE the face of
the preacher in front of them? It would have been so easy for this 35-year-old
preacher to just keep on with the tried and true, to stay with the tent
and tabernacle meetings.
But friend, I want to praise God abundantly, here on the 70th anniversary
of this radio ministry, that God made it clear to a young preacher: "THIS
is the way; walk ye in it."
Some of us have really been enjoying reading a new biography written last
year by our old friend, Bob Edwards, who sang for Dad in the King's Heralds
for 24 years and worked with us for 19-plus more beyond that. In fact,
he's STILL working for us; his "(quote) retirement" is pretty
much a ministry joke, and we thank God for the selfless contribution he's
made.
But he tells about a couple of wonderful Seventh-day Adventist pastors
who came to the town of Exeter, in Devonshire, England, way back in the
year 1886. They set up some preaching meetings there, and a young teenager,
16 years old, sickly with tuberculosis, said to his dad: "I want
to go to those meetings." "Aren't you afraid to go out alone
at night?" "No." Now, with the rain and the cold out there
at night, and with his illnesses, you could forgive that young boy if
he'd stayed home by the fire with a cup of cocoa. But he didn't. He wrapped
up in a blanket and went. And he and two others — an old woman and a Salvation
Army captain — went all the way in accepting these new Bible truths. That
same teenager then traveled to America — just 17 years old now. Got there
with 35 cents in his pocket and managed to travel to Wisconsin where he
had some relatives. He started working as a watchmaker, and soon saw a
gospel tent going up across the street. Lo and behold, it was another
series of Adventist meetings. Young Halpert attended these too, and was
finally baptized in the freezing water of Troublesome Creek, tuberculosis
and all.
Well, friend, that young man was Halpert Richards. H. M. J. Richards,
my old grandfather. And if he hadn't gone to that meeting in England 114
years ago, this entire chain of events we're celebrating today would never
have happened. I wouldn't be here today — not behind this microphone anyway.
And so I want to say to you: "Isn't God good? Doesn't He lead so
perfectly?"
I guess that reminds me of the wonderful old Bible story of Joseph. Lonnie
recently did a whole week of Christian radio programs on that young man
— a tremendous hero of faith. But three times the enemy of this world
tried to knock him off course, to keep him from his rendezvous with divine
destiny. His own brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt. Then he was
falsely accused of rape and tossed into jail. He didn't deserve that,
but there he was. Was this going to be the end? Then when he had a chance
to get out, the friend who was supposed to speak to the king on his behalf
just plain forgot! What a tragedy! But it didn't matter, because at the
perfect moment God opened up the door and gave Joseph the position heaven
had in mind all along: prime minister of the entire empire. What a blessing
he was THEN!
And you know, I look back and see how Dad, and how my grandpa, Halpert
Richards, were willing to make those all-important life choices which
have now affected millions around the globe.
And friend, I'm thankful today that the Lord has seen fit to bring ME
through various crossroads and guide me into the avenue of His choosing.
When I was a young man in high school — actually, at our local Christian
academy in Glendale, California — my brother Ken and I and about three
other gentlemen of similar ability started up our own pop-music band.
This was a few hundred years ago, back in the mid-forties, so I don't
think the expression "rock ‘n' roll" had come along yet. But
Kenneth can testify that what we did had a pretty strong beat that thumped
right through the walls of our house and out into the street. Our bandstand
equipment had a big "HR" on it, which my Christian friends thought
meant Harold Richards. But professionally, we were known around town as
"Hal Ross and His Band," and we had more than one "gig"
that a Christian academy wouldn't have been too excited about. Most of
our songs weren't exactly on the academy's approved "play" list.
I remember once that a Pastor Voth, the president of our denomination's
conference, came over to the house to visit with my dad. And as he got
up to the front door, the walls and the shrubs outside were all vibrating
with the beat of our music. You could probably hear it clear over to Burbank.
Mother answered the door and without batting an eye explained to Pastor
Voth that her husband was out reading and praying in the study, which
was next to the garage. "All right," he said, but you could
tell that his socks were curling up over the throbbing of that bass and
our red-hot horns.
And then my mother said to him: "You know, Pastor Voth, we're trying
to raise a family here." And he replied: "Yes, I understand,
Sister." Which was the end of it. And I'm not saying there was something
so very sinister about five guys with their trombones and the hit songs
of the ‘40s. But the Lord was patient with me, just as Mother was. He
had a place for me in His work. And when the time came where I needed
to make a decision regarding service and His will for my life, I'm thankful
that He brought me to this same radio microphone and to the calling of
sharing, the best way I know how, the gospel's final message for these
last days. I still like a bit of trombone music, and I still tap my toe
when I watch some of our great Voice of Prophecy Family Reunion music
videos. But friend, Jesus had more for me, and I can't praise Him enough
that back on another October 19, exactly 70 years ago this very day, the
Holy Spirit led my dad into an avenue of service that would change MY
life forever.
You know, as we have some anniversary cake today, and invite you to celebrate
with us, you might be troubled by this thought: What if I make the WRONG
choice? I want the Lord to lead, but what if I turn in the wrong direction?
My old Grandpa Richards might have stayed home with a good book and not
attended those Christian meetings. Dad might have decided, "Radio's
not for me. I'll just preach in a local church, or in an evangelistic
tent. Or . . . maybe find some other line of work altogether." He
was a man with many gifts; he could have done very well in life doing
almost anything. I don't know if Ken and I could ever have gotten far
playing those horns, but he and I BOTH could easily have MISSED the freeway
exit God wanted for us to take. What if we DO mess up, travel the wrong
highway?
Well, friend, the Bible makes us a wonderful promise regarding that very
dilemma. King Solomon wrote about it in Proverbs chapter three — and you
know, THERE'S a man who, for a time, at least, was rushing headlong down
the wrong interstate at full speed. But here's the biblical promise:
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct thy paths."
Isn't that a promise of great encouragement? Friend,
if we acknowledge HIM — as that bright-eyed teenager in Exeter, England
did — God absolutely WILL lead us, in the end, to the right destination.
Whether it's the right Christian meeting, or a radio microphone, or even
a heavenly mansion with your name on it. I like the way the Clear Word
paraphrase puts this verse . . . and I can just see my dad following Jesus
this way. Listen:
"Put the Lord first in EVERYTHING you do,
and He WILL direct your life."
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