Finding Comfort in Our Statement of Faith

For myself, for my special wife, already at school seeking to make a difference, for my two compassionate children and the loves of their lives, for family and friends everywhere, for the loving people with whom I am honored to serve at the PC(USA) church where I serve as pastor, and most especially for my grandchildren whom though they do not yet know it may be most at risk of losing much of what already makes America great, I am drawn to these words from, "A Brief Statement of Faith."

November 9 is my birthday and so my "birthday" prayer and hope is that these words may comfort, counsel, and challenge each and all of us:

"... We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life.
The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the church.
... In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage
to pray without ceasing,
to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,
to unmask idolatries in church and culture,
to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,
and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.
In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives,
even as we watch for God's new heaven and new earth, praying, Come, Lord Jesus!"

The link to the entire "A Brief Statement" is here: https://www.creeds.net/reformed/brief.htm