BELONG

We had the funniest thing happen yesterday. After we arrived home from church, Jake, my 11 yrs. old son, was the first to enter our home. Thinking the rest of us were all close behind, he left the door open. When I entered a few moments later with the girls, a sweet little bird was inside to welcome us home. This bird was flying all over our house providing much excitement and entertainment for my children. For the next hour, the Link children were on a grand adventure seeking to escort this lovely little creation back to the place where it belonged.........outside- NOT in Bombadil. That little escapade caused me to think of the word, "BELONG."

BELONG- 1.To be the property of/concern of. 2. To be a part of or in natural association with something. 3. To have a suitable place

Listen to what God's word says about "Belong":

" The secret things BELONG (are the concern of) to the Lord our God, but the things revealed BELONG (are the concern of) to us and to our children forever that we may follow all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 29:29

"Dominion and awe BELONG to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven." Job 25:2

"For the kings of the earth BELONG to God." Psalm 48:9

"In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks BELONG to him." Psalm 95:4

"Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You BELONG to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth why don't you believe me? He who BELONGS to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not BELONG to God." John 8:42-47

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you BELONGED to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is , you do not BELONG to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you; ' No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." John 15:18-20

"Through Jesus and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostelship to call people from among all the Gentiles (anyone who is not a Jew) to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to BELONG to Jesus Christ." Romans 1:5 & 6

"So my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might BELONG to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." Romans 7:4

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

"Those who BELONG to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:24

"But since we BELONG to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." 1 Thessalonians 5:8

"Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven BELONGS to me." Job 41:11

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him BELONGS eternal praise." Psalm 111:10

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member BELONGS to all the others." Romans 12:4 & 5

"For every living soul BELONGS to me." Ezekiel 18:4

May I encourage you this morning to begin a conversation with your Maker, asking Him which one of these truths He would like to work into your "inner part" (Psalm 51:6- "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place."). I don't know what truth you need that will set you free, but there is One who does ( Matthew 6:8). All I know is this:

"The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:11 & 12

So- what is it? Do you need to know that you belong to him? Do you need to know that you are important and belong to a body of believers/a church and that without you they might be missing their "arm"? Do you need to know that all praise belongs to Him....and not you? Do you need Him to tell you through His word that maybe the reason you don't hear his voice is that you haven't said "yes" to him yet, that you don't yet belong to him? Do you need to let go of the need to and know and understand everything and trust that it's enough that He knows all things and you need to know only the things revealed to you? What is it? What is the truth that you read that pricked your spirit? Sit with it. Let it sink deeeeep into your soul. God wants to speak to you through his LIVING word. He wants to teach you. He wants to heal you.

So, Max, my second son, was the one who freed the bird. He was the one who pursued it the hardest, went looking for it when it escaped our view, was most concerned with the bird's freedom and restoring it to it's right place. It is Jesus Christ, Gods' one and only son, who desires to free YOU. It is Him who goes looking for his lost sheep, is relentless in his pursuit and is the most concerned with your freedom and restoring you to where you belong- safe in the arms of your Creator- the gentle, merciful, compassionate, forgiving, loving, and perfect One.

Blessings from Bombadil. May your soul be watered and may you water another's soul.............if not now, someday. Perhaps it is not time for you to water another but rather for you to be watered abundantly. Maybe you have been so dry, so wounded that it is time for you to just soak it all in.Maybe it's time to let the Healer heal you with His love and His truthful words. "There is a time for everything under heaven.....a time to heal.......a time to mend......" Ecc. 3:1 You are so deeply loved. Kristy Link