I usually don’t do personal posts like this, but I had to make an exception. As you probably know, Rush Limbaugh passed away on Wednesday morning. It was a shock to millions of Americans, despite the fact that we knew he had advanced lung cancer. It just seemed that Rush would beat it. I have been taking this news pretty hard, and I’ll explain in just a moment. 

 

You know Rush, right? He single-handedly saved AM radio. He also saved talk radio and made it into a formidable outlet of news and entertainment. He grew to become the biggest radio show in history, and I doubt he will ever be surpassed. Without Rush, there would probably be no talk radio today. Without Rush, there would be no Fox News. Without Rush, conservatives would not have had a leader to rally behind. His show began in 1988, and he kept it going to the very end. He could have retired, but his passion was to talk to everyday Americans, and to keep them well-informed. He stated that he had talent on loan from God. He said that he would tie half his brain behind his back just to make it fair. He said that he was right 99.999% of the time. And all of that was true. He was the absolute best, in a league all by himself. 

 

I grew up hearing Rush. I didn’t really listen to him as a kid, but I knew who he was. As a teen, I’d listen to him every now and then, although I didn’t keep up with politics. Over the last five or six years or so, I have faithfully listened to Rush almost every day. His commentary was just more insightful than anyone else. He didn’t say what everyone else was saying. He knew the liberal mind better than anyone. He knew why something was happening, and he could explain it so that anyone could understand. 

 

When a celebrity dies, it’s truly sad, and you might say “I”m going to miss him or her.” But Rush far outshines any celebrity (for me, I mean). You see, Rush would speak to me almost every day. He would say the things that I believed. He would help me to understand politics, to see a worldview that was pro-American, and to find meaning amidst the chaos happening in the world. He was like a counselor or advisor. He taught me so much, just in the last few years. Now his voice is gone. He won’t be speaking to me anymore. That’s why the news of his death is so difficult for me. I feel that I’ve lost a friend and mentor. 

 

There is some good news. I believe Rush was a saved man. His brother David Limbaugh is a devout Christian, and has even written some apologetical books. David has attested to the fact that Rush had trusted Christ as his personal Savior. Rush tended to stay away from his personal religious beliefs when he was on the radio, but that changed over the last several months. Due to his condition, Rush actually opened up more about God, saying that he believed in the power of prayer and that he was putting his faith in Jesus. I never got the chance to meet Rush, but I look forward to seeing him some day in heaven. 

 

Rush may be gone, but thank God for his legacy. Rush inspired countless others to stand up and do exactly what he was doing. There are plenty of conservative talk radio shows today, and every one of them owes their existence to Rush. But none of them can replace Rush. He was one of a kind. His influence was monumental. He will never be forgotten. But that’s not all. WE must continue to fight as he fought—fight for freedom. That’s exactly what Rush would want.