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Psalm 90:1-12; Romans 1:18-25; Matthew 5:3-10
"I do believe in ghosts!" he intoned on the way to the Witches' Castle, a litany of belief to which she responded "you'll believe in more than that before I'm through with you!" Wicked Witch's vow can still set my spine a-quivering! But our culture is not only "not in Kansas anymore," but a cursory review of popular culture reveals that we believe in a whole lot more...and a whole lot less...than ghosts!
I Believe! A radical act of faith which connects us both to the Divine Creator while also distinguishing us from the many who want the spiritual power of religious belief without the life-changing substance of religious faith; study of Apostles' Creed will inform faith; I Believe! A ringing affirmation that what God says...God does; that the Creator is vitally concerned not only with manufacturing life but with mandating consequences; a lifestyle centered on Divine purpose rather than humanity's current fad; study of Apostles' Creed will sustain faith with content;
I Believe in a unifying, morally purposive God!
God is worthy of worship! I have stood on the lips of canyons, laid out under majestic heavens, ridden in canoes through rapids and heard tornadoes whistle closer than the treetops--all have moved me toward worship of a Force, a Being clearly superior to my pitiful insights and meager strength, worship is a humble movement of the human heart and not merely cognitive assent; worship is a recognition of God's Otherness, Mystery, Grandeur; Worship is the awareness that I neither made myself nor the world in which I live; 1
God is visible to the eye of reason: at the heart of worship and what is universally called a "just and holy life" is a teachable posture about wisdom, power and deity of God. In grand terms such reason gives birth to the Ten Commandments, but in personal terms such "reason" often comes painfully close to home through personal tragedy, when we recognize that without a unifying purpose, life ultimately self-destructs in hopelessness; I recall my seventh grade science teacher's humble admission that our simple response to his child's death made more impression on his atheism than any argument, such reason is contained positively in the Sermon on the Mount;
I Believe! Asserting personal belief in age of nihilism is a radical step! We must have faith and courage to do so! Ordering my life around the visible wisdom and power of a deity, especially one called "Father Almighty" in the 1990s can bring conflict. Yet we see around us the alternative hell of nihilism, written large in genocide and small in personal despair. Our study of this creed will strengthen our belief. May you be encouraged by our study!
Belief in God has consequences!
Iniquities are laid bare! My friends, guilt and shame are real entities and not just by-products of social conditioning; our sins "find us out" because at the core of life is a God who seeks us out; the iniquities assailing us come from our own rebellion and not from an afflicting creator; we are co-creators of the moral order, with our actions having consequences for our shared life; Scripture and creed can be guides that help us avoid pitfalls because they draw upon divine wisdom; 2
Deepest hopes will be satisfied! My friends, justice, mercy, peace are also real entities. This is profound Good News! Our aspirations will also come to pass, because at the center of the universe there is LOVE in all its mystery; when I affirm belief in God, and begin acting positively on that belief, my world begins to change for the better! I become a co-creator with God's redeeming purpose;
I Believe! Ordering my life according to moral principles can invite laughter and condescension. After all, our current spirit appears to be a variety of takes on "no rules"; yet we prove in a life of faith that the immutable laws of God bring life when adhered to. We believe in order to be redeemed!
Brett-Reed
Personal: I must nurture my soul, placing before it the solid food of belief rather than the pabulum of popular opinion; I must let my mind, heart and hands be guided and reformed by the creed, rather than embracing the arrogance that surely I know better than centuries of wise, holy people;
Congregational: We must certainly know what has been believed; but more crucially, we must proclaim who we believe in! We have the joyful task of proclaiming belief to an age of disbelief! Let us be about the Creator's business! Amen!
1Psalm 90:1-2; Romans 1:21-23.
2Psalm 90:7-9; Romans 1:18, 24-25.
Donald D. Denton, Jr., D. Min., L. P. C
Stated Supply BrettReed Memorial Presbyterian Church
Coordinator of Assessment Services Virginia Institute of Pastoral
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