Making Time for God

14. Belonging

It's me again God,

As Christmas approaches, it can be a very busy time as friends, colleagues, neighbours and families, get together to celebrate. It's a time when people enjoy the benefits of belonging to a particular group.  Cards and gifts are exchanged and it is so wonderful just to feel you belong, have things in common, along with shared history.

How sad it is for those who have for one reason or another, become isolated, cut off from those they love to be with or for those who have for many years, never known the joy of having family! Lord my heart breaks for them but it also breaks for those who do not know You! Belonging to Your family, means we are never alone! Thank You so much for Your love in sending Jesus as a baby, so long ago, so that we could all belong to Your family:

"So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:26-29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Lord, being a part of Your family is such an incredible thing! Thank You that I am clothed with Christ and have become an heir!

"This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Belonging to You comes with so many wonderful benefits:

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Knowing this, brings me so much security, not just for now while I live but for eternity!

"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I join with Paul in praising You for all the incredible blessings that are mine in Jesus:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:3-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Thank You that I am loved, chosen, predestined, holy and blameless in Your sight. I am forgiven, redeemed, adopted and I know without a doubt that I belong to You! Lord this is not something that I can keep to myself! Please help me to tell others about the joy of belonging to You. Increase my love for those who are lost and alone. Open my mouth to share the Good News with those around me today.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Help me to remember:

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For the praise of Your glory,
Amen.