BELONGING

I Was Just Thinking About – BELONGING.

Some people live their lives apart from any sense of being wanted, needed, included, usable, of value or being an integral part of of that to which they aspire. They go through life being passed by. They are made to feel as though they are the proverbial square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

It struck me on December 21 when Our Daily Bread devotional – A Personal Story – began with this paragraph: “A baby just hours old was left in a manger in a Christmas nativity outside a New York church. A young, desperate mother had wrapped him warmly and placed him where he would be discovered. If we are tempted to judge her, we can instead be thankful this baby will now have a chance in life. This gets personal for me. As an adopted child myself, I have no idea about the circumstances surrounding my birth. But I have never felt abandoned. Of this much I am certain: I have two moms who wanted me to have a chance in life. One gave life to me; the other invested her life in me.”

We have a Great Grandson from Hungary and a Granddaughter from Ukraine who were adopted. The unique reality is that in this larger family no one thinks of Robi or Julia as “that adopted one” but as a son-daughter, Grandson-Granddaughter, or a Great Grandson who belongs in our growing family.

If we maintain a correct focus on the meaning and purpose of the Christmas season and what we are celebrating, we need to remember the words of summation in Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons/daughters. and because you are sons/daughters, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!” Simply stated, those who have been redeemed (purchased) are now part of God’s forever family and belong to Him. We can come at any time and about any matter to our “Abba, Father” and know that He will not turn us away.

In a very real sense, in His family, He will welcome us into His presence as a son/daughter of His who belongs. You will never again have to feel like the square peg attempting to fit into a round hole. You belong to Him and you are a perfect fit and securely in the grasp of the hand of God. Jesus reminded His followers of this reality in John 10:27-30, “My sheep hear My voice and I know them. And I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck (remove) them from My hand. My Father Who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” By God’s grace, you belong to Him and are secure in Him.

Prayerfully – remember and consider these things with me.