What do you believe?

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
    the Maker of heaven and earth,
    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
    born of the virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,
    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
    from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;
    the holy catholic church;
    the communion of saints;
    the forgiveness of sins;
    the resurrection of the body;
    and the life everlasting.

Amen.

The basic creed of Reformed churches, as most familiarly known, is called the Apostles' Creed. It has received this title because of its great antiquity; it dates from very early times in the Church, a half century or so from the last writings of the New Testament. 

For those of us that have been raised in church these words may seem familiar in the way that oft recited phrases bring comfort, but the words mean  something.  We must believe something.  This week I have been struck by four things:
1) the killings of UN workers in Afghanistan as a response to the Koran burning by a US 'pastor' 
2) the song "Manifesto" 
3) the Lord's Prayer
4) the Creed


The first made me sad and then so angry. Things can get so confused when it comes to what we believe.  We all give it our own little spin and sometimes the consequences are positively horrific.  But then the song, prayer, and creed remind me that by God's grace we can cling to belief that is TRUE, and just, and gracious.



Let's pray we always seek HIS TRUTH about what we BELIEVE in His Word, wise teaching, and faithful prayer.