Where do you belong?

(This was written back in 2018)

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us,

and we are his;

we are his people,

the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3

During this past months or so I have moved country, been to four different countries, been on 8 flights and packed/unpacked my suitcase three times. It's been so good and so blessed, but also very intense. And I want to share about one concern in my heart that has kept coming back during this time.

Times of transition has caused a piece of pain in my heart that flows even through the most joyful of moments. I love to travel, I love adventure and I love new experiences. But at the same time my soul cries out

Where do I belong? Where is my place?

This question has been a very subtle but clear question in my heart for a longer time than I was aware of. Part of me has been longing for a clear answer which stirred up disappointment for the fact that I did not receive a clear one. I had examples of locations as potential answers to the questions. I still come up with potential answers.

Do you know where you belong?

In psychology the need to belong is seen as a big influence on human behavior, though I don't think we need psychology to know that. Simply being human makes a pretty good job showing that, I think.

But Jesus, what do you say about this? Why do I have this need, why is it so strong and why did you put it there? While asking Him over and over again, I realized that I haven't understood what I still don't really understand.

You are mine.

That's all. A simple answer, but I still don't understand the profound mystery and amazing beauty of what this reality practically means for me.

To be His. To belong to Him. That's His desire for us. That we may be healed and receive a new heart so that our need to belong will be purified. And will once again shine with the Light directly from our own baptism so that the truth of our belonging may overflow our hearts with joy. Jesus himself as Jesus on the Cross and the resurrected Christ will in the Easter mystery meet the very depths of our hearts. The very depths of our desire to belong and maybe for the first time we will see that we have been given a gift.

A Divine desire.

A divine desire for not only our bodies to have a place to belong and a place to return to everyday, but a place where the core of our being, the very Spirit in us will take a deep breath and finally, finally will have the divine desires fulfilled by the Creator of the Universe himself. To meet Him face to face and say "this is home".

Our belonging cannot even be broken by the snares of death. My need to belong is a little piece of the puzzle where your piece is found too, and it all makes up a part of the Divine mystery of God. We belong to something that will not perish. In fact, we belong to Someone who will not perish. Love, himself. Jesus Christ, himself.

Wow.

I pray that you will receive this need to belong as the divine gift it is, and that you will cherish the pain that comes with it, knowing that it sings the joyful song that "You were made for more!". Knowing that it's the heart that is sensitive to the angels singing out to you:

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us,

and we are his;

we are his people,

the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3

And be joyful that you heard this song. Your truest, most authenthic belonging is in God - and when we fully understand and by grace will live our lives aligned with this truth, we will find a peace and joy that surpasses understanding.