Gates at Graceland
Screen shot: YouTube.com
GRACELAND TO DISGRACE
Headlines today read, “What America didn’t hear about the death of the ‘king.’” The article, excerpted from a new book by Joel Williamson, “Elvis Presley: A Southern Life,” revealed the extent of Elvis’s drug addiction, the circumstances surrounding his death and the coverups that ensued after his death.
Certain details revealed in the book caught my attention. The first detail being when the ambulance pulled into Graceland’s driveway at the time of Elvis’s death, it struck one of the metal gates and one of several musical notes welded to the gate fell off. I thought how elegant and stately that gate was during Elvis’s lifetime and how his music entranced the world at the height of his career; but how eerily disgraceful it was when the gate was hit and the emblem of his success fell to the ground. This struck my heart.
Elvis Presley grew up in a little Pentecostal church, as I did. In fact, at about the age of 17, I was endeared to Elvis when I met a young man whom many referred to as Elvis’s double. The “Elvis” I met was a young minister in the little church I attended and he could sing and play the piano like “nobody’s business.” So, I write as one who sincerely sympathizes with Elvis’s untimely death and the manner in which he passed on. It was written of him that he died in a very embarrassing situation, in the bathroom, and from a drug overdose.
Elvis was raised in a holiness church, yet he sang “rock n roll” for the world. He could have blessed the masses with his heavenly voice, singing songs of praise and magnifying the One who is worthy of all praise; and even though he did sing some gospel songs, he rocked his way to fame grinding his hips to rock n roll music and singing ballads for admiring, fainting young girls, who referred to him as “the king.” He was raised hearing the Word of God, but his favorite book for many years, which he frequently carried with him, was “The Impersonal Life,” written by Joseph Benner, about self esteem, the Kingdom of God within yourself, meditation and mysticism – little bits of truth with a whole lot of heresy. He was lauded the “king of Rock n Roll” in this life and he lived in a Bel Air mansion, as well as Graceland, or anywhere else he wanted to go; but as he left this world, he was in a position no one would ever want to be in in death, and the elegant musical note fell off of his Graceland gate on that day.
The Word of God tells us,
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap; for he that sows to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” Galatians 6:7-8.
There is only One King and that is El Shaddai, the great I Am, Yahweh, Creator of all things.
I sincerely hope that Elvis Presley had the opportunity to cry out to God for mercy in those last moments and I truly hope he made heaven, in spite of his wasted years.
Yes, people enjoyed his music and his legend lives on in this world, but the Word of God tells us about eternity and how we must believe, and how we must also live, in order to get there. Elvis Presley did not walk the narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14) which leads to eternal life, but God is merciful still; His mercy endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34). If Elvis cried out in his last moments, like the thief who was crucified next to our Lord and Savior (Luke 23:38-43), he could have made heaven, and I can only hope he did.
It is extremely risky to rely on deathbed confessions. The Bible also tells us of some whose consciences were seared – those gone reprobate (Proverbs 29:1, 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Romans 1:26-32, 2 Timothy 3:8, Titus 1:16) – because they have rejected God too long, and there is finally no hope for them.
Are you prepared to stand before God and give an account of the life you have lived on this earth? If not, salvation is only a prayer away. Please visit the How Can I Be Saved page – your eternal destiny depends on it. God bless you.
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