Paul: “… the God to whom I belong and whom I serve …” (Acts.27:23).
What does it mean to belong to God?
We don’t use the phrase “I belong” very much anymore, probably because of our deep-seated belief in, and commitment to, personal autonomy. Instead of “I belong to that church” we often say “I attend that church” or “I’m a member of such and such a church.” We rarely say, “I belong to that assembly.” But if we find ourselves in a life-giving congregation we might say, “I belong here,” by which we mean to say this fits me well and I feel a strong sense of connection and purpose in being where I am.
Belong is a relational word; it means that something or someone is in the right place, at least for a season. And when we say “belong to …” we imply ownership in some way.
Belonging to God says something about my very identity. I have been bought with a price, Paul would say. God has adopted me, and I am now in His family, where I belong. It also means that the Kingdom of God is a good place to belong because it has power and purpose in this world and in my life.
I belong to God because:
– He rescued me from the power of darkness;
– I am now in His Kingdom;
– He adopted me as His child;
– He is with me each step of the way;
– He includes me in His mission to restore what has been lost.
I am right where I belong!
Thank you, God!