How Can We Forget?

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Don’t read ahead – as a matter of fact, cover all but the first paragraph of this page. Let’s try a little test, can we. Out loud – right now – all by yourself – without any help from anyone or anything – say the Apostles Creed. All the way through…

How did you do?

Working with a friend on a retreat last year, we decided to take the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles Creed and take it in sections to use as a devotion. As we started work, Amy started saying the Apostles Creed. She did pretty well – at first… then, she looked at me and said – what comes next? I was very confident that I could recite the creed and started right out “I believe in God the Father Almighty…” As I progressed, I found that I got stuck, too.

We were stunned. Both of us had said that Creed since we were very young children. We studied it as teenagers, recited it every Sunday in church, but neither of us could recite that Creed on our own by ourselves. Researching, we finally found a hymnal that provided us a copy of the Apostles Creed. Of course, we thought after we read it. Of course… how could we have forgotten that?

That turned our thoughts to a whole new and more meaningful devotion for our retreat participants. How many times have we recited the Creed, Confession, or the Lord’s Prayer and not thought of the words that we are saying? We say it and say it and it becomes a habit to recite. That is not what it should be. The words to the Apostles Creed were not created lightly. Each word and phrase was excruciatingly reviewed and discussed before it became part of the creed. Each word is important.

Whether you were able to recite the creed or not at the beginning of this devotion, please say it out loud again now… with great thought and great meaning. Think of the meaning of each word. Say it like you really mean it!

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Too often, the creed and prayers become just words to me during worship and private devotion time. We are creatures of habit and these beautiful meaningful words, unfortunately, can become that to me at times. Since this incident, I make an effort to listen with my heart to the words that are put before me in worship. I challenge each of you this year to do the same as we work together to the Glory of God.

Lord, thank you for all that you give us. We forget and you love us anyway. The way that you lived your life is a guide for us as to how to live our lives. Your death was to enable us to have everlasting life. Forgive us when your sacrifice is not recognized. We love you, Lord our Creator. Amen