Belonging to God

Every thing we have is gift. Though we tirelessly try at times, our sense of belonging is given to us. Choice by choice we are invited to trust that we belong to God and that this God - Father, Son and Spirit - will actively guard us and keep us close.

John 17:6-19 (NLT)
“I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

For Reflection and Prayer:
Was there a word, phrase or image which caught your attention you as you listened to or slowly read the text? Quietly reflect on it in your prayer with Jesus. Journal your conversation.

Was there any particular emotion which emerged as you listened to the scripture?
Journal about it. Where do you sense that emotion in your body? What does that emotion tell you about your need?

Reflect on your belonging to God. Where are you most aware of belonging to God? and least aware? Where or when do you long to belong to God?

Savor any consoling words or pictures as you quietly rest in God.

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Belonging to the Bridegroom

Have you had an experience where you knew deep within that you belonged to God? If you become real quiet, can you remember where you have most felt a sense of belonging? That your life mattered and you were wanted? Sometimes we do not have a storehouse of nurturing memories to draw from. It is helpful then to vulnerably trust the longing to belong which God has placed within us. Bring these consoling memories and longings into your prayer as you listen to the following passage. John's inner knowing of who he belonged to gave him great confidence to walk in humility and trust the Bridegroom's voice.

John 3:22-30 (NIV)
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

For Reflection and Prayer:

What did you hear as you listened or read the text? Did something particular catch your attention? Bring it into conversation with Jesus.

Give yourself room for the word to affect you. What are you feeling or sensing? Gently bring this awareness into your prayer with Jesus.

Share your longing to belong with Jesus. How does he meet you in this longing?

Savor any consoling words or pictures as you quietly rest in God.

Savoring Consolation

According to David, our lives are an open book to God, the one who compassionately formed us and made us. Our Father, our Abba, never takes the eyes off of us and is not afraid of the paradoxes, complexities and longings of our lives.
Consider reflecting, remembering, receiving and resting into the consolations God brings. This too is prayer. Savor God's goodness to you, demonstrated in ways unique to your life and design.

Psalm 139:11-18 (NLT)
I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12     but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

For Reflection and Prayer:
What word, phrase, image, or feeling caught your attention as you listened? Bring it into your prayer. Journal your conversation.

Reflect on your own experience of darkness. What affect has it had on you? How has darkness formed you? How has Jesus been present to you in dark places?

Be still as you listen for God’s thoughts about you. What might God be whispering in your ear, telling you about you? What do you long to hear? Savor any consoling words which you hear.

Longing to Belong

The Word we consider today finds the Pharisees and supporters of Herod trying to trap Jesus into saying something or doing something that will give them reason to arrest him. Little has changed in the 2,000 years since.  We still look for reasons to take Jesus out of the picture of our lives. Jesus was the living example of loving your neighbor, of honesty, of fair treatment, of impartiality. Are we expected to live into those same values? Are we to give our heart, our entire being, our belongings, our family, basically all that we have and are to God? What in our lives do we give to God and what to this material world?

Mark 12:13-17 (NLT)
13 Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 14 “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?”
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin,  and I’ll tell you.” 16 When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
His reply completely amazed them.

For Prayer and Reflection:
What phrase or word spoke to you as you listened/read?

What amazes you about Jesus’ response?

What do you want to say to Jesus about this text? What does Jesus say to you in response?

Where do you notice your deep longing to belong? or a temptation to try real hard to fit in? When have you experienced a sense of belonging to God? What has that been like for you? Ask Jesus to give you a greater sense of belonging to him and his Father.

Longing to Belong

Who do you belong to? Do you know who your family is? Can you feel your longing to belong to someone, somewhere?
For some this longing feels like an ache. This ache to be included, to belong, to not be alone is a real and core longing of every soul. In this snippet of his life and ministry, Jesus invites us into a new way of seeing. Those who gather around the presence of Christ are included in his family. Listen for his words to you as you draw near.

Mark 3:31-35 NLT
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. 32 There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”

33 Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34 Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

For Reflection and Prayer:
What word or phrase spoke to you as you listened/read the text?
What do you notice about Jesus in this passage?
Who are your mother/brothers/sisters?
What message do you hear God speaking to you through this text?
Take your ache to belong, to be included, to not be left alone into your prayer with Jesus. Simply sit with him and your ache, allowing his presence to minister to you as you are. You might say these words to Jesus, "I belong to You".