February 23, 2021 – “The Ultimate Longing!”

       We want to belong to someone from the time we are born. My favorite times were having hugs from my parents as I grew up. As I raised my four children, I treasured the times when I held them in my arms.

The oldest child wiggled impatiently, the second snuggled with his nose buried in my neck. The third one always patted me on the back as I patted him. The fourth child accepted being held with contentment.

As I grew up, I wanted to belong to different groups, but rarely fit in with their ways.

What is it like belonging to Jesus? When I found these lyrics, I thought about this matter of belonging differently. Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me, Not for the years of time alone, But for eternity. (Speer).

I found great comfort in this scripture. I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:10-11.

Where does this longing deep inside us to belong come from? Our Lord God put it into our hearts – a longing for eternity. Without the Word of God, we would be clueless and unaware.

We try to make all of creation of the earth spring from scientific reasoning that isn’t reasonable. One day during a science class with my sixth graders, we came across such reasoning. I picked up the Bible and read the first sentence, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Later I found this verse. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:3.

Belonging to a group seems to be a basic essential, God given, for us. But what group? Who are we? What is our identity? There are so many ways to group ourselves in our world, Sports Teams, Jobs, Level of Intelligence, Political Parties—’everything’ groups.

I learned early that I was not good at playing Red Rover, Red Rover. Someone could easily break my hold of someone else’s hand. I was never chosen first to play on a Red Rover Team. I did not belong. Then when I was eight years, I belonged to Jesus. I knew I wanted to have eternal life, and then years later, I learned more and more about this belonging to Jesus and whose I am. It has been a lifetime of learning and rejoicing that who I am doesn’t depend on groups fashioned in this world.

My Grandpa Suderman directed a church choir for many years. I learned that the groups that meet in a church and practice praise music to God is the place where I belong.

This is where the most delight in the Lord, laughter of genuine joy, and rejoicing happens. On my Grandpa Suderman’s tombstone is this declaration, For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. Job 19:25. He belonged to God and served Him as a farmer-musician.

Will this ‘belonging’ last? We often ask how long our friendships and marriages will last on earth, yet we know God is forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:26. Belonging based on His Love is forever.

What is the secret of ‘belonging’—it is His everlasting Love. Loving as we’re taught to love. What we call love lasts forever. It is what births our salvation.

 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16 -17.

         Then in Matthew 3:16-17, And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

On the mount of Transfiguration, Jesus took Peter, James and John. Moses and Elijah visited with Jesus there. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. Mark 9:7-8.

         What a joy it is to know we don’t create our identity—but our Lord God, the Author of our Story chooses us. I am who I am because The I am tells me who I am. (New Name Written in Glory).

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.  Ephesians 1:3-6.

         Oh, how we long to belong.  How do we live our ‘belonging’ life? We begin by making these verses our guidelines.  We become ambassadors for others who search to fill their longing for eternity.

And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39.

          Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:12-15.

          “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6.