I searched and searched but could not find it.

A long time ago when I was a lot younger, I was reading a history book at school. A history of some of the famous people in the founding of our country. The book contained some names I had never heard of, and for fun I was looking them up. One of them was a pastor, from Groton.

It was the young man, really, who caught my fancy in the story, probably because I was young myself and could relate to him.. Imagine being a faithful Christian, all of 20, and hearing the British were coming. In my minds eye I can see the lad, full of adventure, lining up on the green and facing the regiment that had been sent to seize a cache of weapons and gun power reported to be in rebel hands. I bet he was dreading the conflict but he was there doing what he believed to be right, standing up for it.

But a few moments later he was down, with a fatal bullet lodged in him and being tended to by this pastor. Knowing he was about to die and fully expecting to face judgment, he asked the pastor what God would think. What would he think about men killing one another, and if he would be condemned for his part in what happened that day.

The pastor told him that he must simply put his trust in God, and that if his cause, his fight, was one for righteousness then it would be all right.

I could not find this story the other day when I searched the Internet. I suppose I was not recalling it right, maybe it was even a work of fiction. However it echoes clearly in the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner, so it appears Francis and I both read it from roughly the same source.

The thing is, this is much like the story of another young man, of about the age 30. He also stood up for what he believed, and while he dreaded doing it he did not shirk from certain death but endured it, trusting in God to raise him from the dead and fully knowing his cause, his fight, was going to be all right because it was one for righteousness. Because of him we also are more than conquerors.

Today is the day many people think of as tax day, and grumble and complain about it. Yet the money they use, at least for now, clearly has "In God We Trust" printed on it somewhere. As Christians, I hope we remember that while the money comes and goes, those sentiments should stand forever in our lives - indeed for an eternity. Unlike myself, God's memory is flawless. He will not overlook those who put their trust in him.

There will however come a time when the whole world will search and search for salvation, and will not find it. I suppose that's because they will have forgotten where to look for it. Will we be able to muster any comfort when we are about to face judgment ourselves? Is our trust in God`?

Randy