Riding into the sunset to the shining city on a hill

Ronald Reagan was a man of indomitable courage, profound convictions, unflappable optimism and personal charisma. He stood like a giant sequoia on the American landscape, but Alzheimer’s disease, a foe he could not defeat, ultimately took his life on June 5.

Prior to his death his beloved Nancy said, “Ronnie’s long journey has finally taken him to a distant place, where I can no longer reach him.” Such is the tragic fate of those who succumb to the ruthless thief that steals both the mind and body of its victim; and blessed are those who care for loved ones who are debilitated by the villainous culprit.

I had the enviable privilege of meeting Mr. Reagan at a National Affairs Seminar in Washington, D. C. in 1979. He addressed our gathering and said, “I have believed for a long time that God put this land here, between the two oceans, to be found by people from every corner of the world who had a spark, a love of freedom, a courage to uproot themselves and come here, and because of that this new breed we call America, which as the result of a great melting pot has a mission in the world.

“John Winthrop, standing on the deck of the Arbella off the coast of Massachusetts hundreds of years ago, gathered the pilgrims around him and told them before they went ashore that we could be a shining city upon a hill – that the eyes of all mankind were upon us and that if we failed God in this undertaking we would be a byword throughout the world and for all time to come.

“And today, I believe the people of this country are more ready than they have ever been, more disturbed at the feeling they have lost something, more ready for a spiritual revival and to stand up once again and see America become the hope of the world whatever the price may be.”

After hearing Mr. Reagan I sensed that he was a Christian man, a man of integrity and faith. Adrian Rogers, former SBC Convention president, recounted that he first met Reagan in 1980 when he was a candidate for president. Rogers said, “Someone asked him, ‘Governor … do you know Jesus Christ? Not do you know about Him, but do you know Him?’”

“He said, ‘Oh, yes, He is very real to me. I have trusted Him as my personal Lord and Savior, and I pray every day. But I don’t wear my religion on my sleeves.’”

A new book, Hand of Providence: The Strong and Quiet Faith of Ronald Reagan, declares that the secret to Reagan’s astonishingly successful presidency was his deep Christian faith.”

Reagan was also a man of integrity. Peggy Noonan’s book, When Character Was King points to his courage, kindness, persistence, honesty and almost heroic patience as the key to his success as president.

He was also a man of great courage. He boldly called the Soviet Union the “evil empire.” Paul Kengor, author of God and Ronald Reagan says that Reagan defeated the “evil empire” with his faith. Kengor says, “When Reagan went to Moscow and shocked the atheist establishment in that country by his public pronouncements of faith, he knew exactly what he was doing.”

Reagan was a leader. He said in December of 1990, “A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough.”

The 40th president was a man of humility. He said, “… there is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.”

Reagan’s sense of humor is legendary. He said, “I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency – even if I am in a cabinet meeting.” He also declared, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

President George W. Bush remarked concerning Reagan’s death: “(He) won America’s respect with his greatness, and won its love with his goodness. He had the confidence that comes with conviction, the strength that comes with character, the grace that comes with humility, and the humor that comes with wisdom.

“He always told us that for America, the best is yet to come. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this is true for him, too. His work is done. And now a shining city awaits him.”