Belief

“You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead-and we're the witnesses.  Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet-yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes.”  (Acts 3.16)
Belief is a powerful force.  When one believes, anything is possible.  Equally true; when one does not believe, logic, evidence, and testimony does little to persuade the skeptic.  As I watch athletes take on the impossible and individuals in business accomplish what everyone knows cannot be done, I am reminded yet again how important belief is to the essence of what is means to be alive.
There is an ongoing irony in many of the lives I observe – there is little examination or reflection of the belief that lies within.  It is almost as if we do not know what is actually going on within our souls.  It is not that we do not care, we do.  Yet, when one observes, very little time is spent on reflection of one's true beliefs.  Additionally, closely held beliefs are rarely examined.  Why does one believe in God?  What kind of gods do we hold close to our hearts?  How does the nature of one's god/God influence one's belief in life?
I can see the way the God of Compassion, Love, and Hope changes the lives of those that believe.  This God comes with many different names, yet the touch of the hand of the believer is always the same.  This God lives with incredible diversity, yet the believer always seems to embrace those that are different, living with an attitude of harmony and community in a way that endears the individual with the community that they find themselves in.   This God creates passionate individuals that engage in the business of living life to the fullest.
Today's dawn is filled with unwritten opportunities.  You and I can believe or doubt, live or hide, be present or escape.  In each situation, I choose the former.  I believe.