Our youth spent eight weeks discussing their faith and the church in preparation for their confirmation. Those that decided to be confirmed met with the Session and read their statements of faith. With permission, we present one of those statements.
Over the past eight weeks, with the guidance of Reverend Susan, some wise souls, and people in my same position, I've been able to define what it means to have faith. And not for societal propriety but in a more abstract sense by grappling with the perennial questions of the Christian Doctrine. The first step to being one with said faith was defining God in three beings: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
What first came to me as I ran through what was my so-called relationship with the Father, was the concept of an anchor. He was purely a means of structure and stability. If I had a lapse of integrity, I thought "God's watching you, Nathan." If I felt I had no place in the world, I thought "God's got you, Nathan." But that thinking neglected so much of what He really is and made our "relationship" feel like me looking into a mirror. Truthfully, I never contemplated the bigger picture or God's endgame, and sure I can say that's not for me to know, but in that case questions like "why doesn't He reveal himself" or "why does He allow evil to persist" would continue to eat at me.
To understand this I turned to the Son unequivocally God yet still man, and the One who paid the ultimate sacrifice for my salvation. In all honesty, as I grew, it was less his miracles that captivated me, but his unwavering righteousness, to be able to have his flesh submit to him. And this is where I find myself back at those scary questions; but instead of asking why doesn't He...., I should ask why don't we....
We the people, we humanity, we as a whole-y spirit. A friend of mine, when posed with the question of "who is the Holy Spirit" said, "the collected conscience of humanity. In a way, I find this true on many levels. I don't find it coincidental that we are all endowed with this transcendent, burning feeling to do better. It is what separates us from being lifeless husks of flesh and instead makes us human.
And in this same vein, when we are relentlessly besieged by the overwhelming love of the Trinity it is only a natural consequence that we wish to propagate it. That to me is the church; a feeling to be the good Word, and a harbinger of His love.
Finally, my faith and what I'm called to do as an individual.
It's not as simple or revealed as the Church's calling, for it is our uniqueness that binds as to that ultimate goal, but also separates us into fulfilling our own roles. I have my many shortcomings and understand that as a young man I know nothing; however my curiosity has drawn me to the interworkings of our universe. I am, to say the least, captivated. So, if I were to know my calling it may be to reveal God's omniscience to the masses, while making sure we don't have another Tower of Babel incident. ~Nathan
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