I believe . . .

I believe in ONE God who is GOOD and RIGHTEOUS not by what He has done but by what He IS. His very essence is love, pure and total. Nothing less. Because of His great love, love deeper than the sea and higher than the heavens, He gave me the greatest gift of all. A choice. I believe He gave me free will to act as I please, and in doing so I constantly struggle against the pull of the world to follow Him. I fall. Often. Yet I know that no matter how many times I do fall, He will always pick me up, comfort me, and give me the strength to keep going.

I believe in a God that doesn't need money. I believe in a God that doesn't need anything, but wants something. What He wants is something He could take; but He does not. What He wants is our service. What He wants is the love that any parent would desire from their children. If He did take what He wanted, He would no longer be a God who loves, but rather a God who controls. And that is not the God I follow.

He is the Abiding Vine (John 15:4), the one from whom I gain sustenance. He is the Bridegroom (Ephesians 5:32), the one who ushers me towards destiny. He is the Creator (Colossians 1:16), my maker. He is the Deity (John 10:30), the Lord above me. He is Everlasting Life (John 3:16), the gift offered. He is my Faithful Friend (1 Corinthians 1:9), the one I turn to. The one who dries my tears and heals my soul. The one who carries me when I am weak. 

He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) who protects me from harm. He is my Hiding Place (Psalm 32:7), refuge from the things that haunt me. He is Joy Unspeakable (1 Peter 1:8), my happiness beyond understanding, peace beyond comprehension. He is larger than I can understand, but reveals Himself in small ways. He is the King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15), the mighty warrior. The ultimate ruler who sits on high, yet lays Himself low. He is the Lord of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8); the rising of the sun befits His beauty. He is the Merciful Mediator (Hebrews 2:17), the one who brings peace to my life and quells my turmoil.

He is Never-ending Love (Jeremiah 31:3), my source of comfort. When I think no one loves me, I take solace in the fact that no matter how black my heart, it can be as white as the snow when I call upon His name. He is the Omnipotent One (Revelation 19:6), the God who knows my heart and its ways. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), a gentle hand on my angst-ridden heart. He is the Quieter of Fears (Proverbs 1:33), the one who whispers to my sorrows and dispels them. He is my Rock of Salvation (1 Corinthians 10:4), the land on which I stand, unmoving. The strength from which I draw, the strength which is granted.

He is the Sacrificial Lamb (John 1:29), the gift given in my stead. The counter-weight on the scales of eternity. The price paid, a debt cleared. He is The Truth (John 14:6), the ultimate light in the darkness, the holder of my answers, and the path which I walk. He is my Understanding Guide (Proverbs 3:5,6), my friend in all things. My answer for questions, my path for confusion. He is the Victorious Warrior (1 John 5:4), the one who conquered death for me. He is the Word of Life (1 John 1:1), the utterance of pure love. He is the Exalted Name Above All Names (Philippians 2:9), the sweet name on my lips, the utterance of my heart, the whisper of my soul.

He is my God, but He is not mine alone. I cannot understand Him. I cannot comprehend Him. I cannot contain Him. But I can share Him.

And that is what I believe.

by Jason Dunn, 1996