We Belong

 

“So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

—Romans 14:8b

Belonging is an important goal for many people. That’s why they join various clubs and organizations. It’s even why some people join a particular political party or attend a particular church. It is within our human nature to want to be part of something much bigger than we are.

Some people, no matter how hard they may try, never seem to fit into a group. They never really feel as if they belong. Sometimes this is because of some physical difference they may have. It could also be because they are less intelligent or more intelligent than most people. It may be because they have never really learned how to become socialized. There are a host of reasons. But, some people just never seem to belong.

I imagine there were times in the life of the Apostle Paul when he felt he did not belong. He had once been a prominent Pharisee, very certain of his beliefs, very ardent in his defense of Judaism. He persecuted these new Christian believers because he felt they were committing heresy against the Jewish faith.

But then, on the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus—as he was then known—had an encounter with the living Lord Jesus Christ. That encounter miraculously transformed Saul’s life. He got a new name and a new heart and a new purpose for his life.

For a while, Paul was no longer accepted by his Jewish friends and the Christians weren’t ready to receive him either. After all, not long ago he had been arresting them and supervising their stonings.

I’m quite certain Paul remembered those days when he wrote the words contained in Romans 14:8:

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.

Imagine—this faithful disciple of the Jewish faith had now become a champion of new life in Christ. Even as Christ had redeemed Paul, so He had also given Paul a completely new life—a life of service and responsibility in Christ’s Kingdom here on earth.

It is good for us to remember, as we start another day, that God has chosen us to belong to Himself. He has redeemed us and given us a totally new life in Him. We belong to Him. Nothing can change that. And, we should be most grateful and most humbled by that knowledge as we go out into a needy world with a message of hope for all who cross our pathway.

 

_{Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}