I had been a believer since age ten, raised in a Christian home. But by the time I became an astronaut, I was what you might call a "silent Christian" - going to church, believing in God, but not really walking closely with Him. My faith had become routine, distant.
God's Presence on the Moon
That all changed on July 30, 1971, when I stood on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 15 mission. The lunar module had touched down near Hadley Rille, at the base of the Apennine Mountains - the most beautiful mountains I had ever seen, rising 15,000 feet above the lunar plain.
As I looked at those mountains, I was reminded of my favorite passage from Psalm 121: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." I quoted those words over the radio to Mission Control.
But it was more than the scenery that moved me. I felt an overwhelming sense of the presence of God on the moon. The total picture of the power of God and His Son Jesus Christ became abundantly clear to me. I felt His spirit more closely than I had ever felt it on the earth, right there beside me. It was amazing.
During our lunar exploration, I encountered a technical difficulty setting up some equipment. In that moment, I prayed for guidance, and I felt God direct my hands. The solution appeared before me, and the equipment stood like a little altar on the lunar surface.
Life Transformed After Apollo 15
When I returned to Earth, I knew my life could never be the same. Riding in the ticker tape parade through New York City, seeing thousands of people lining the streets, God dropped something in my heart. I had a responsibility to mankind to share Jesus with everyone.
I retired from NASA in 1972 and founded the High Flight Foundation. For the next twenty years, I traveled the world proclaiming a simple truth: Jesus walking on the earth was far more important than man walking on the moon. I carried small flags I had taken to the moon and presented them to world leaders as a means to share my faith in Christ.
Sharing the Moon Testimony Worldwide
I also led expeditions to Mount Ararat in search of Noah's Ark. Some thought it was a fool's errand, but I believed if God's Word said the ark came to rest there, it was worth seeking. Even if we never found it, the search allowed me to share my testimony with countless people.
The moon helped me see God's majesty in a way nothing else could. I am now more than an earthling, because I have walked on the moon. But more importantly, I am a child of God, because I walk with Jesus.
