Belonging to God

READ: PSALM 100:3; ISAIAH 43:1; ROMANS 8:14-17; 12:15

Recently, I participated in a day of service in my college community. There were many service projects to choose from, and I blindly signed up, not knowing where I’d be placed.

“Our group will be serving at a homeless shelter today,” the leader said. “We’re going to split into two groups. Half of us will work in the donation closet, and half of us will sit down with the folks at the shelter and have conversations with them.

I knew immediately that I wanted to be in the donations closet because I was nervous to have a conversation. Then I met a girl who was about my age. She’d only been at the shelter for a few days. My leader paired us up, and I sat down beside her, worried about what to say next.

She told me her name, then with a smile on her face she said, “My name means ‘belonging to God.’” Something shifted inside me—the nervousness was pushed to the side, unimportant because it didn’t come from God. I felt like the Holy Spirit was prompting me to ask her, “What’s your story?”

She began telling me about her journey. I asked questions and sat and listened. We laughed together, and we both cried. It was awkward. But it reminded me that the Lord cares about the stories of His children. And He invites us to step into the life He offers—a life where we get to say, “I belong to God.”

The Holy Spirit went before me and prepared the way in this conversation. It reminded me that we don’t have to be afraid to step out in faithful obedience, because we belong to God. • Daevis McMurphy

• God loves us so much that, in Jesus, He died and rose again to make the way for us to become part of His family. As Christians, we can know that we belong to God! Jesus has promised to always love us, always be with us. He tells us again and again, “You are forgiven. You are mine.” And He invites us to serve others out of the overflow of love and belonging we receive from Him. Where have you seen and felt God’s love and belonging in your life? If nothing comes to mind, consider asking God to help you notice and/or remember these moments.

• What might it look like for you to love and serve others out of the overflow of love and belonging God has given you?

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3 (NIV)