Buzz Lightyear

Buzz Lightyear is named after Buzz Aldrin, a member of the first astronaut team to set foot on the moon. I met him when I was a young man. He came to Johannesburg to speak at a few conferences and open air meetings. Mali Kelly asked me to accompany her on the piano as she sang at one of his open air meetings. I happened to sit next to him and his wife. They had their daughter with them. I saw his special built up shoes and asked him about it. 'men were not made to walk on the moon,' he told me. All three astronauts were affected physically in some way or another. The trip into space affected his instep on both feet and the sunken instep has to be supported by special built up shoes. He told me what the trip did to his faith. He said the beauty of the blue planet earth convinced him that there has to be a creator. Only the fool in his heart says there is no God. (Psalm 14:1) Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story cartoon always says, 'to infinity and beyond!' to acclaim the possibility of reaching the impossible. It is inspiring. Meeting Buzz Aldrin was inspiring. I will never forget that day. But inspired me the most was not his trip to the moon, but his strong, simple faith in an Invisible God, whom he worshipped and served. Science and Technology had to bow before the Creator in the end. I feel so sorry for the great intellects in the world who deny the existence of deity. They harm not only themselves but also millions who follow in their wake. To believe that there is a God takes faith. Faith is the substance of the things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By faith we believe the worlds were created. By faith we receive a good report. We are called to walk by faith and not by sight. Seeing is not believing. We believe first so that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened. We cannot all go to the moon before we believe there is a God. We can simply believe it right there where we are. Nature proves it! But most of all the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the key to believing in God: for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) May my chance meeting of Buzz Aldrin inspire others to believe in the existence of a Living God. Those who come to Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, for without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)