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Belonging

Different cultures value space differently. Imagine a fairly large room furnished with a circle of chairs ready for a meeting. In some parts of the world, as each person entered the room he or she would always sit next to someone who was already seated. In other parts of the world, those entering the room would begin by sitting in alternate chairs until newcomers had no choice but to sit next to someone. In some places you might find that people might actually start rearranging the chairs to avoid having to sit too closely to anyone else.

Yet at the same time, even in the last situation, there would be a clear sense of separation if someone moved too far away. Early in life, we learn how much space between persons is appropriate in social settings. If we misjudge the amount of personal space required by another person, we may find them moving toward or away from us according to their comfort level.

All this to say, that we all need to feel appropriately connected to others. For example, the intimacy shared within a family would be awkward in the workplace. At the same time, we don't want to feel distanced or rejected by others. Even those with a large "personal space" are aware when others push them away.

Humans depend on each other in profound ways. None of us can make it entirely on our own. Sooner or later, we're going to need some help. Most of us enjoy the webs of relationships that keep us connected so that when we get into trouble, help, relief, acceptance or whatever else we need is never far away.

Poetic expression, particularly when accompanied by music, is a natural way to articulate the depth of our longings. Some of the oldest poetry available to us comes from the Bible where we find references to God satisfying a variety of needs of his people.

In Psalm 36, we read: How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadows of your wings. They feast with the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

In Psalm 63, we read: I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; With singing lips my mouth will praise you.

In Psalm 103, we read: Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

In Psalm 107, we read: Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

These are just a few of the passages from the Bible where we find examples of God meeting the needs of his people. These give us the distinct impression that God does not mean for us to be isolated and frustrated. He created us with the capacity and need for relationship with Himself, so we shouldn't be surprised that He wants to fulfill that need.

The problem for most of us is that we miss the point and try to get our needs for relationship met elsewhere instead of in God Himself.

I've had the privilege of visiting several different cultures, yet they are all alike in that the basic social unit is the family which provides a sense of identity, as well as the physical necessities of life. God intends for us to recognize Him as our spiritual Father. On this level, He provides us with a sense of who we are which even our human families cannot give us.

Identifying only with our human family presents a problem in that this heritage is tainted by sin. Every generation passes it on to the next. It is unavoidable. When we arrive at the place of recognizing God as our Father, everything changes. He accepts us as his adopted children and freely passes on His family heritage of righteousness.

This is all possible because the Lord Jesus did what was humanly impossible. The legacy of sin, passed through our human family, leaves us separated from God. Spiritually, we were dead because we were separated from the Source of Life. Being dead, there is nothing we can do for ourselves. Furthermore, though already spiritually dead while we live, we are not so dead as we will be when we die physically and our eternal fate is sealed.

To remedy this, in the person of the man Jesus, God came and died our death. He took the consequences of that old physical legacy and provided for us a new spiritual one. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross, He not only removed our sin from us, but passed on His righteousness to us. This allows God, who is holy, to accept us, who are sinful, into His own family. This is the ultimate sense of belonging. Social groupings like clubs, gangs, fellowships, orders, even families, only serve us during our physical life. When we die, we will remain in the memory of those who knew us, but memory fades, and eventually those who knew us will also die and our once vibrant existence will pass from significance to obscurity and finally to oblivion.

Our place in the family of God is so different. Here our vitality and significance grows as we develop the depth of our relationship with our Heavenly Father and the breadth of our relationships within His family - the church.

To find our place in this marvellous family, we need to believe in the One who made it possible. The apostle John tells us that those who believe in Jesus the Son of God have life. Those who do not believe do not have life. It's that simple. Those who believe are part of God's eternal family and will find their ultimate need to belong fully met. Those who refuse to believe will pass from this world into a state of eternal loss.

Today, God's heart and arms are open toward you. Respond to His love. Respond to His offer to make you His beloved child.

Ron Hughes
© February 2003