Throughout the history of the Christian church, Lent has been a season to focus on our faith, on what we believe as Christians and what difference our belief makes in how we live our lives. In the early church, Lent was a special season of preparation for new Christians to study and learn about the Christian faith, so that they could profess their faith and be baptized on Easter morning, joining their lives to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we prepare to celebrate the good news of Easter this year, we are going to focus on our faith and spend some time reflecting on what it means to say “I believe…”

“I believe” also happens to be the first two words of the Apostles’ Creed, one of the earliest statements of faith written and used by the early church. On Easter morning when new believers were asked what they believed, they used the words of the Apostles’ Creed to profess their faith before walking into the waters of baptism.

What do we mean when we say, “I believe…”? What do we really believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the church? What difference does believing make in how we live our lives?

This Lent we will be using the Apostles’ Creed to help us think more deeply about our own beliefs and to prepare our hearts anew for the good news of Easter morning. In its original Latin language, the Apostles’ Creed begins with the word Credo. Although traditionally translated as “I believe,” a more accurate translation is, “I give my heart to…”

Belief is more than an intellectual exercise or theological construct. Belief is about what we give our minds, hearts and spirits to, what we are willing not only to live for, but to die for. Belief is as much about mystery as it is about certainty. Perhaps that is what led the desperate father seeking healing for his son to cry out to Jesus, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Join us for a Lenten journey with the Apostles’ Creed, as we engage not only our minds, but also our hearts and spirits to more fully understand and commit ourselves to the God we know in Jesus Christ, our Source, our Savior and the Sustainer of our lives.

Together on the journey

~Tami