March 7, 2019
For full passage click: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 …“you shall make this response before the Lord your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.’” vs. 5
Sometimes Christians have a negative reaction to creeds and some congregations don’t use them in their liturgies. They don’t want any human devised doctrinal statement to stand in the way of Jesus. We can understand such concerns. Creeds are the product of compromise and they can become an obstacle, but they still provide a service to the church. It’s good to have some common beliefs at the core of our life together, and creeds do provide a connection to the past. Even the ancient Israelites had creeds and many believe that this verse was one of the first. It’s set in the context of worship and begins simply, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien…” With these words, the scribes pulled together all the old stories and gave the people a common narrative. That creed tied them together and cemented their identity as the chosen people of God, born in adversity but delivered in triumph. As followers of Jesus, we too, have a narrative that ties us together as companions on a journey. It’s a wonderful story, a tale of suffering, death, and resurrection, and its repetition in worship can’t help but be a blessing.
Thought for the Day: What is my favorite creed?
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