Neither Height Nor Depth

I remember about a year ago reading an article put out by the Huffington Post titled, The Moon Communion Of Buzz Aldrin That NASA Didn’t Want To Broadcast. The article began by describing that inspirational man, Buzz Aldrin, who joined the likes of Neil Armstrong in taking “one small step for man” in his lunar landing. What the article stated that I had never known is that when the NASA team landed, one of the things Buzz did was to take the Lord’s Supper.

Aldrin later reflected on this event, writing this:

In a little while after our scheduled meal period, Neil would give the signal to step down the ladder onto the powdery surface of the moon. Now was the moment for communion.

So I unstowed the elements in their flight packets. I put them and the scripture reading on the little table in front of the abort guidance system computer.

Then I called back to Houston.

“Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to invite each person listening, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.”

In the radio blackout I opened the little plastic packages which contained bread and wine.
I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup. It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements.

What a humbling and amazing act. Of all the things one might think to do when stepping foot in uncharted space, Buzz gave thanks to God and received grace and forgiveness in a most powerful way. Buzz brought that ordinary bread and wine to a most extraordinary time and place. He honored the Creator of heaven and earth, becoming enveloped in the all-saving sacrifice of Jesus.

This is a beautiful picture of what God does in communion, no matter where you are. He brings the extraordinary gift of His Son’s righteousness to our ordinary, broken lives through ordinary means- the bread and wine. How awesome is it to know that even though Buzz Aldrin was worlds away from the rest of humanity, he was also united wholly with the rest of the Christian Church. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

As we gather together – to worship, to pray, to commune – God is up to something extraordinary. He is bridging the gap of our sin so that nothing can stand in our way of having and knowing Him as our loving, heavenly Father. Neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:39).

God loved us all so much, He gave us His Son so that everyone who believes and holds onto faith in Him has life, even life eternal…He even loved a guy like Buzz Aldrin all the way to the moon and back.

Enjoying the Journey,

Pastor Doug