“God placed in man’s relational DNA the desire and need to be with others, to belong.”
I can think of few if any things more important for your feeling of well being than to have a confident sense of belonging. Without belonging, wherever you are, you feel lost; whoever you’re with, you feel yourself a stranger.
God looked at all the natural realm He had made and said, “It is very good.” Genesis 1:31. But when He looked at the creature He had formed with His own hands and into whom He had breathed the breath of life, God said, “It is not good that man should be alone . . I will make a mate suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18. The Bible says, “God sets the solitary in families.” See Psalm 68:6 NKJV. No man or woman alone for long remains very happy.
What kid doesn’t love to be on a team, part of an effort and group’s success? I have watched our youngest grandson’s pride to be on his basketball and baseball teams, hardly able to wait for his team uniform, always worn with pride. He belongs! He is not alone; he’s on the team! Is that unusual, or common to all of us, young and old?
From the very beginning, the One who created you declared that man was not made to live alone, or in isolation from others. Inherent in man’s relational DNA is the desire and need God placed there to belong and be with others. Marriage gives you a life-long mate to whom you belong. A family offers a circle where you safely belong. Friendships produce relationships where you feel you belong. Work provides you a partnership where you belong, your efforts and abilities joined with others for greater contribution and success. A church home connects you to people with whom you belong.
Salvation affords you an eternal family and heavenly place where you will forever securely belong. “I go to prepare a place for you and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also.” John 14:2-3. Everyone is looking for “their place,” a place where they fit, a place where they belong. I am not sure that you will ever succeed in having a soul fully at rest with anyone or anything, until you first recognize and choose to “belong to Jesus.” See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV.
When you link your life with Jesus, the Savior brings you to the Father you always hoped for, and you discover you are the child He always wanted. Here was your status as well as mine; “At the time, you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship and foreigners to the covenant . . without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ . . consequently you are no longer foreigners but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s own household . . in Him being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” Ephesians 2:12-22 NIV.
Redeemed, included, connected, belonging – to God and one another! In the Old Testament, God had a Temple for His people. Today, God has a people for His temple. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His glorious light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NIV. Did you notice the descriptions of you carefully? They are all plural, not singular – people, not a person; a priesthood, not a priest; a nation, not a citizen – we are people belonging to God and belonging to each other. Sin separates; grace places you back with the One to Whom you truly belong. See Matthew 11:28-30.
My prayer for you today is to never forget where and to Whom you belong.