In Whom Do You Believe?

Today's Blog Challenge topic is to write about God.

I kind of cringed when I first read the topic because I am tired and this is such a very large subject.

To begin, please read the following as it states succinctly what I believe:

 The Nicene Creed

WE BELIEVE in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

I've mentioned The Confessions of Augustine in the past.  I wrote my Medieval Philosophy paper on Augustine's view of the Heaven of Heaven's versus heaven.  As a result of that assignment, I realized everything exists because God sustains it.  There is no force that can out-do God.  He is the maker of all; He is before all time began.  Simply put, He is.

When I think of God sustaining His creation, I am reminded of God's might and power, of His glory and honor.  He is worthy of all I am.  My life should be completely devoted to what His call is for me.

However, time and time again I fail.  I cannot work my way into His good graces.  I am a sinner not worthy of God, salvation, Heaven, or anything good.

But, Jesus came to earth and became God incarnate.  He lived a life free from sin, though He was tempted.  He was lied about, beaten, and killed.  But, on the third day (Easter), He rose from the dead and lives eternally with God the Father.

Because of Jesus' death on the cross I am saved.  By His grace alone does He accept me.  Because HE is counted worthy I am counted worthy.

God does not need me, but He created me for His pleasure and to glorify him.

A book in the Bible that is always encouraging and convicting is Hebrews.  I highly suggest sitting and reading it.  But, before I end, I leave you with two verses:

Hebrews 9:27-28
²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 12:2
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.