History records that many of our founding fathers and prominent historical figures had a love for the God of the Bible. Several weeks ago, I spoke about an important man in American history, Francis Scott Key. Do you remember the words he wrote as part of the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner? In case you forgot, here is a portion of what Fancis Scott Key wrote:
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
Let's talk about another prominent American hero who had a love for God... Astronaut Buzz Aldrin. July 21, 2014 marked the 45th anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon. Mission commander Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon and was followed out of the lunar module by Buzz Aldrin who became the second man to walk on the moon.
Aldrin did something very special when he and Armstrong landed the lunar module on the moon. Aldrin had communion. During the radio blackout in the lunar module while things were quiet, he opened the communion elements and celebrated communion right there... just before stepping onto the surface of the moon. As Aldrin took communion, he read this verse from John 15:5:
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.
Aldrin later said this about the experience of communion on the moon:
It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the moon and the first food eaten there, were communion elements.
It's not the act of taking communion that makes this important. It's the fact that Aldrin took time to honor his God for all God had done in his life by celebrating communion. Look at the verse from the Book of John that Aldrin chose to read during his communion time...for you can do nothing without me. It is very clear to me that the man who was about to leave the lunar module and walk on the moon recognized that he could do nothing without God. What a remarkable way for Aldrin to thank God for what God had done in Aldrin's life.
So...don't be fooled by the minority of folks who say our country had no historical roots with the God of the Bible. Francis Scott Key and Buzz Aldrin would tell them they are wrong.