When the King of Pop Meets the King of Kings

So another icon Michael Jackson passes from the scene and has faced what we all will (like it or not) -- an appointment with God.

“So that everyone shall give an account of himself to God and Jesus Christ.” As singer Gladys Knight said immediately following the Staples Center memorial, “We all gotta go that way!”

I remember reflecting back a few years ago when another musical idol Frank Sinatra passed on, and I imagined the moment he stood in front of God singing, “I did it my way,” to Him who bears the title of THE WAY!

I didn’t know Michael Jackson, never met the man, but my wife Nedra and I do have mutual friends who knew him quite well, including Smokey Robinson and Andrae’ and Sandra Crouch, who participated in Jackson’s memorial last Tuesday.

As a matter of fact, God and Jesus made it into the program on a number of occasions.

Andrae’ Crouch and the choir opened the event with Andrae’s song, "We Are Going to See the King". The king he was singing of was not the King of Pop. Mariah Carey (with Trey Lorenz) ended a very sensitive  “I’ll Be There,” with an exclamation of, “Thank you, Jesus!” Lionel Richie sang "Jesus Is Love". Stevie Wonder, a purported believer, rendered one of his own compositions an emotional, "Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer", exclaiming, that God must have needed Michael more than his remaining here.

There were other contributors throughout the program, but the literal bottom line at the program’s conclusion was intoned by Jackson family friend Pastor Lucious Smith of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena, when he  proclaimed:  “The King of Pop has gone to meet the King of Kings!” And then he prayed in Jesus name. (How politically incorrect!)

Where is Michael Jackson now? This from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah:

“You are loving and kind to thousands…You have all wisdom; for Your eyes are open to all the ways of men, and You reward everyone according to his life and deeds.”   (Jeremiah 32.18-19)

A quick addendum to all this: The Christian Post published an article:

Gospel Artists Say They Did Not Lead Michael Jackson to Christ

The article purportedly quotes Andrae' and Sandra Crouch’s conversation and prayer with Michael Jackson just weeks before his death. I cannot verify the report but it’s an interesting account if true.

Another “departure” and testimony I can verify is that of friend Fred Travalena:

Fred Travalena dies at 66; master impressionist and singer
Los Angeles Times

When it came to impressions, Travalena had an early role model: his father, a onetime entertainer who sang and performed comedy. 'The Man of a Thousand Faces' could voice Bugs Bunny as well as Luciano Pavarotti. Travalena, a Vegas performer, talk-show regular and star of his own specials, died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Fred was a follower of Jesus and a frequent guest  on The 700 Club. We had lunch together the last time he was here, and as usual, he was excited about the things God was doing in his life and career. And for those who are interested in temporarily saying good-bye to Fred:

You are invited to a Celebration of the Life of
FRED TRAVALENA

Date:       Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time:      1:00pm
Place:      The Church on The Way
               The Living Room
               14300 Sherman Way (Southeast Corner of Sherman Way and Lennox)
               Van Nuys, CA  91405

This is open to the public; please feel free to pass this information on.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted in Memory of Fred Travalena to the following organizations:
 
Providence Tarzana Foundation
Attn: Oncology Department
18321 Clark Street
Tarzana, CA  91356
In Memory of Fred Travalena      
Checks should be made out to: Providence Tarzana Foundation
 
Fred Travalena Scholarship and Tuition Assistance Program
Ruth Eckerd Hall
1111 McMullen Booth Road
Clearwater, FL 33759
In Memory of Fred Travalena
Checks should be made out to: Ruth Eckerd Hall Foundation, Inc.
 
For more details go to:
www.fredtravalena.com

See you later friend Fred.

Finally: Reg Dwight you say? Also known as Elton John. How about Caleb Quaye?

Caleb was a close personal friend of Elton’s and played lead guitar in Elton’s band for ten years. In my interview with Caleb this coming Monday July 13th on The 700 Club, you can hear his story and how he fell from the top of his game, his crashing down, and then hearing a voice that said,  “From now on your life will never be the same!”