The Belonging Between

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. PSALM 24:1 NIV 

A sense of belonging is a natural desire for all of us. We feel it because we were created with a need to know and love God. Even though there isn’t a living thing on this earth that doesn’t belong to God, our deepest sense of belonging can only be satisfied by accepting the gift of eternal life through the person of Jesus. He’s love, peace, hope, and light. He’s comfort, strength, courage, and joy. He’s Friend, Savior, Father, and King. He’s all we need, and every part of creation reveals Him to us. 

How is it that we still have days when we feel like we don’t belong? We wake up and follow routines robotically. We try to refuel hopes we hold deep inside by believing this could be the day something changes. Today God will reveal the surprising news. Today we’ll get the email or the phone call we’ve been waiting for. Today the answers we’ve prayed for will be as clear as tropical ocean waters and the next steps we take as sure as the waves hitting the shore. 

Then the day plays out nearly as identical as the one before, and we fall into bed feeling more alone than we ever have. We feel less like we belong to any plan or any one, including the One who holds the earth and everything in it. We’re fickle and forgetfully human, until the Holy Spirit and our aching hearts remind us that we not only belong to God, we are His beloved. 

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders. DEUTERONOMY 33:12 NIV 

Is there a place in the entire universe we could feel a greater sense of belonging than when we rest between the shoulders of God; secure, shielded, and loved? What a breathtaking visual of our eternal belonging, and what a beautiful reminder to carry us through the day. 

Father, I love the truth that I belong to You and that Your purpose for my life fulfills every sense of belonging I have. I know You work everything together for good in Your perfect way and time. 

This is an excerpt from The Beach is Calling: 90 Devotions for Rest & Relaxation – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.