"The Apostles' Creed" was committed to my memory as a young girl. "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth..."
Sister Agnes Bernardine was very strict and it certainly bode well for me to do her bidding rather than face her raging tantrums in a clueless state of mind. I watched Jim the janitor slowly sweep by our classroom door oblivious to the perfect storm preparing to engulf us at any moment.
Her fits of temper blew through the classroom on a daily basis sending me into a mostly catatonic state until I safely reached the big slide located in the girl's playground splashed with the cool morning sunshine of daily recess. Although I didn't sell enough Christmas Seal booklets to reach the classroom quota necessary to adopt the required number of pagan babies overseas, the boys always seemed to bear the brunt of her "holy terror" outbursts.
Even now in my sixtieth year I fail to understand why some of my fellow classmates refused to do the required homework necessary to prevent the drama and fury we were certain to behold the following day.
I think it's safe to say that I memorized the words of "The Apostles' Creed" out of fear and potential humiliation rather than actual belief. Belief in my heart came much later although the seed was certainly planted, in part, by one Sister of St. Joseph who provided me with an unforgettable and excellent parochial school education.
How did my belief in God change from mere memorization and head knowledge into a living, personal relationship with a Holy God Whose Spirit presently indwells my heart? The biblical passage from the Epistle of James contains an interesting passage. "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the devils believe-and tremble!"
James was the oldest half-brother of Christ and brother of Jude, who also wrote the epistle that bears his name. James had first rejected Jesus as Messiah, but later believed. Also known as James the Just because of his devotion to righteousness, he was martyred ca. A.D. 62 according to the first century Jewish historian Josephus. James wrote with the authority of one who had personally seen the resurrected Christ. James can be reliably dated ca. A.D. 44-49, making it the earliest written book of the New Testament canon.
The Gospel of John contains an interesting example of belief in God regarding the Apostle Thomas. After the resurrection of Christ the disciples told Thomas, "We have seen the Lord." But Thomas would not believe until Christ later appeared to Thomas saying, "Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas replied, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
I remember hearing a true story back in the 80's after becoming a believer in Christ. It was about a church in Russia probably after WWII. Russian soldiers stormed a house where people gathered having a Bible Study. The soldiers said, "all of you who believe in Jesus Christ, stand up!" A handful of people stood up. The soldiers then said, "The rest of you may leave now." Most of the people left the room. The soldiers shut the door and looked at the handful of people who had stood up confessing Christ and said, "Now, tell us about Jesus." The soldiers later prayed to be saved.
Today I can say with all my heart, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth..."