Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/95

Contributor - Dave Alexander

Title - Let Us Pray

Topic - Prayer

Sometimes phrases get stuck in our minds in such a way that they come out of our mouths even when what we mean to say is quite different. For example, in the church which I attend Sunday mornings here in Kaohsiung we always recite either the Lord's Prayer or the Apostles' Creed immediately after singing our first hymn at worship. The pastor has decided which to use that week, and it's the job of the worship leader (usually an elder) to instruct and lead us in the recitation. If it's to be the Lord's Prayer, the "lead in" is something like, "Now let us use the prayer which our Lord taught us to pray, 'Our Father.." When it's to be the Apostles Creed we hear, "Now let us use the Apostles' Creed to confess our faith. 'We believe in God the Father Almighty

Last Sunday the leader, Elder Cheng, slipped. He said, "Now let us use the Apostles' Creed to pray. We believe in God the Father Almighty I found myself smiling (liturgical slips often bring a smile to my lips, glad it wasn't ME who did that) but also intrigued. Confessing our faith is something we do in church before each other and before God. Praying is something we direct TO God. Hence the difference between 'We believe in God the Father Almighty..." and 'Our Father who art in Heaven..." But in using the creed as a prayer last Sunday I found myself telling God, admitting to God, what I believe ABOUT God. If on any of the several points of belief listed in the creed my faith is weak or shaky, I was also less able to gloss over it by a stronger tone of voice directed to the Almighty than I am when my voice is intended to be heard by those standing near me in church. So, though it was "liturgically incorrect" to use the creed in this fashion, it was "liturgically useful" this once.

I wouldn't recommend this practice for frequent or even occasional congregational use in worship, but several other areas come to mind. Personal devotions, a prayer meeting or even a class in doctrine might profit from praying the creed. Admitting to God what we believe might more easily help us to see for ourselves what it is we doubt or where our faith is shaky, and spur us to growth in faith.

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