I have often thought about Martin Luther King's age--that he was only thirty-nine years old when he was assassinated in 1968.
In his relatively short life--a life of immense courage, and vision--he had changed the world.
Today, his birthday was commemorated in the U.S.
Had he lived he would, on January 15th, have turned ninety-seven years old.
He gave his last speech the night of April 3, 1968. He would be shot the next day, while standing on an outside balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, near the room in which he was staying.
During his speech, the night before, he spoke about the subject of age, of longevity. He had faced the possibility of death, of assassination, for years. I have watched the concluding part of the April 3rd speech many times, in recent decades. Its suggestion of possible mortality--his mortality--remains haunting.
He said, at the end of the speech:
Well I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days
ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the
mountaintop.
And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But
I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed
me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised
Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as
a people, will get to the Promised Land!
So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!
