As the stars and moon hang out in the night sky, so does the sun mingle with the day,
When rain pours from the clouds, the drops of tears nourish the earth below,
As leaves grace the branches of trees with beauty, flowers provide the splash of color needed as a backdrop to the landscape.
Nature works in harmony – God’s creation models belonging to all who gaze on its beauty. We all crave a sense of belonging to something or someone. We desire to know love, friendship, relationships and community. We want to belong!
Questions pour from my heart to understand how, where and with whom we belong. Questions such as:
Where do you belong?
Who are your people?
How do you fit in when everything points to feeling like a newbie?
Do you have a niche that identifies who you are?
I turned to the One to look for answers and to discover what it means to belong. In the unveiling of God’s truth, I learned that His promises are unending when it comes to belonging. His Word is filled with examples of who we are in Him, how we belong and where we belong. The discovery was pure delight in knowing that “alone” is not a word that we need to embrace when we have God as our mentor, friend and Father.
I started here, Isaiah 43 and found comfort in God’s desire for each of us to belong to Him.
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior – vs. 1-3
My path in the Word took me through passages that taught how God not only chooses us, but shares how all of creation belong to Him. The words enlightened, taught, renewed and reassured that when I answer the questions above, I want to confidently answer- “I belong to God, His people are my people, I am His child, and my community is wherever God is present.”
14 To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Deuteronomy 10:14
Both day and night belong to you;
you made the starlight and the sun. Psalm 74:16The heavens belong to the Lord,
but he has given the earth to all humanity. Psalm 115:16Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Romans 12:4-5
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:1-3
[Tweet “God at the center + relationships with others = BELONGING“]
Belonging is working together as many parts with one body. It is agreeing to love, work and live with one purpose that points toward God in all we do. It is a sharing of ourselves with others. Belonging is building in and building up others to develop community. God at the center plus relationship with others equals belonging.
May we all feel a sense of belonging to God and others!
Blessings,
Mary
Blessed to be linking with:
I love the questions here.. I love it when people make me think and you did that. I was just having this discussion, in prayer, with the Lord the other day when I began to think of those who are often on my prayer list. It hit me, “these are my people”. It nearly caused me to stop and just pause a minute, because w/o realizing it, to me… the Lord orchestrated this community of hearts that I just get to be a part of. I get to belong to them as they belong to me.. they are my people. So cool.. but you and I already know that God’s pretty awesome! 😉
Blessings Mary!
Dawn
God is more than pretty awesome. There are moments in my life when I have stepped away from a situation and realized that God gave me who I needed at that very moment. It happens over and over and just occurred again recently. My people are those who God blesses me with sometimes for a lifetime and other times for a season. My heart did a little flip flop when you described your God moment. We are truly blessed to be His children. Love that you stopped here! Love that I am getting to know you and your heart!
I love that definition of belonging! I sometimes wish more people were committed to agreeing to love, but I’m so grateful to have people in my life who are. Thanks for linking up at #ThreeWordWednesday.
I, too, am grateful that God blesses me daily with community and the love of friends and family. My people are the ones who show up time and time again to show me they love me. So blessed that you and your community at Three Word Wednesday have been such a blessing!
Belonging is such a powerful emotion, Mary. It’s one that I actually am a bit wounded in. I have several situations from my past where I was left on the “outside” and it has forever made me extra-sensitive to not being included. I appreciate your eloquent and meaningful words here, my friend. They are like balm to my wounded heart. BTW, you “belong in my heart” as one of my dearest bloggy friends! Hugs to you!
My heart is sad to think that we as people can hurt others, sometimes without even knowing it. Belonging is such a strong desire for all and when we are on the outside looking in, we are very cautious before jumping into something new. I am blessed by such beautiful people who draw me in and accept me in this bloggy world. You, my friend, are a gift that God blessed me with and continues to bless me with weekly. Hugs to you too!
So enjoyed this post, Mary, as it so confirmed to me a portion of Scripture I read earlier this morning. We so need to belong – for our own good -> “For he holds the whole body together with its joints & ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.” (Colossians 2:19, NLT). We grow together as He nourishes each one of us. Have a great Wednesday, Mary!
Love the verse from Colossians. Isn’t God amazing to show up in more than one place during your morning time with Him? Hope your Wednesday and Thursday were great! Blessed as always when you stop by!
Mary, I so love your heart for sharing this! This was far beyond just encouragement. My heart was so moved by your words. GOD is working through you so radiantly. Keep shining for HIS glory! Infinite blessings to you, Love! 🙂
Your words of encouragement have blessed me so much today. I pray we all let go and let God in all areas of our lives. Praying many blessings for you and yours!
Isaiah 43 is one of my favorite passages! I love how He tells us over and over, “I have redeemed you…I have called you by name…you are Mine…I am the Lord thy God…”
Thank you, Mary, for so beautifully confirming these truths!
Blessed that you joined me here Joe! Isaiah 43 is such a pure promise straight from God and it is one I return to over and over.Have a blessed day!
Visiting you today via #RaRaLinkup
What a wonderful answer to “where do I belong.” Thank you, Mary, for driving home the truth that we will never be alone when we find our identify in Christ.
Blessings,
Tina
Amen to all that God teaches us daily. I am awed when I read His word and He reassures me over and over that He chose me and I am His forever. His promises make my heart soar. Blessings and thank you for stopping by.
Love this, Mary. Belonging. Something we all long for until we discover the One to whom we have always been. His heart holding us through the darkness as we search and stumble. And I love Isaiah…especially the second half! So many soothing words of love, love, love. Has been one of my go to books whenever I need a refresher on how very much He loves me and how no matter who forsakes me, He will always be for me. Holding me. Loving me forever. Me belonging… Tweeted you! #RaRaLinkup
Thank you for your words! What sweet encouragement to know that as God teaches us He also reaches into all those places to remind over and over that we are His. Wednesday blessings!
We all have that big want to right in the middle of our heart. The desire to belong.
Good post. Sharing.
visiting from #RaRalinkup
Praying we not only have the desire to belong but feel the pull of God closer as He loves us endlessly. So glad you stopped by. Wednesday blessings!
Thanks for taking us straight to His Word, Mary! For it truly is in Him we live and move and have our being.
God’s promise of “I have summoned you by name, you are mine” brings tears to my eyes every time. To know that someone is always on your side, always willing to listen and will always take you back no matter what is amazing. Have a blessed rest of the week!
I was just reading in Numbers about when God required the census of all the men of Israel and then the ordering of all the tribes. I’m sitting here trying to explain my thoughts on this but they aren’t coming. But appreciated how your message related to something I had just spent my morning reflecting on. Even more so when I’m wondering, “where do I belong, God.” Blessings to you, sweet friend. I hope you had a wonderful birthday. xoxo
I had a wonderful birthday! 🙂 One thing we can always be certain of is that we belong to God. There are times when we feel lost or not sure of our next steps but God will always lead us to that next destination in our journey. I am praying for you as you continue to explore, listen and seek. Love you friend!
I love that “alone is not a word I need to embrace” 🙂 Thank you for the reminder that even when I feel lonely, which can sometimes be when I am surrounded by people, I am NEVER alone! #RaRaLinkup
Amen! God is our anchor and His embrace provides me with all I need in those alone moments which can steal our joy. Blessed you stopped by.
To love and be loved – what a wonderful reminder of where and how we belong in the community of God, adopted as a child, loved as a chersihed treasure. Thank you for sharing this reading it made my heart soar in praise.
I’m praising God with you that as children of God we are so blessed. Belonging in this world can be a challenge but we have heaven to look forward to where we already have a place set aside. Wednesday blessings!
Mary, yes, we so belong. It is the union with other believers that make us feel that we are all in something far more powerful than our own missions. This is really power. Thank you for this reminder. I loved reading that Isaiah verse. It is so powerful. Thank you for joining the #RaRalinkup today with Purposeful Faith.
Thank you Kelly! I love your linkup and was blessed by hearing your sweet voice this morning. Isaiah is full of powerful words but there is nothing like the reminder that we belong to Him. Your encouragement blesses me!