30th April 2024
The blessing of belonging
“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
John 17:21 (NLT)
Looking at the world as it is now, we can see many, many divisions. There are people who belong to a country, a religion, a family group of varying kinds. Yet, in these bonds put together by mankind, there is still no real unity, no shared love for others; it is truly a broken world. Our unities create more walls, seclusions, and demands. As I drive along the road, it is now lined with signs calling for others to stand by their side and elect them. Divisions in politics, and divisions in loyalty, but this unity is sorely lacking because everyone is standing on what they think is right for the individual, not for the body of humankind. That is a fine line to balance, it is obviously beyond our ability.
There is one bond, one unity that we all need. One blessing of belonging that is mentioned in John 17. Jesus is blessed in the Father, in their relationship with each other, and Jesus wants to share this blessing with us; this being one. I had to ask myself ‘What exactly is being one?’ Is this being one physically, spiritually, or mentally? In character? Or just relationally? Maybe it is all of these and more. We only have a glimpse now of the relationship of the Father, Son and Spirit. The truth is that we already belong to God. Jesus reminds us in verses 6, 9-10 that not only do we belong to God, but all things belong to the Father. This is more than just a possession, but also a belonging. The Father is not thinking of himself in this, he shares all with Jesus and with the Spirit, and he wants to include us in this belonging bond of love.
The Father shares his glory with the Son, and the Son in turn gives glory to the Father, and Jesus includes us in his glory. Jesus said, “I have given them the glory you have given me, so they may be one as we are one.” (v. 22). This sounds quite the opposite of the way of the world right now. Not only is God sharing his glory, but he is also sharing his love (v. 26).
This love is pure, this love is freely poured out on humanity as it is in the bond of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus tears down the walls, the divisions. Jesus asks for protection against the one who caused the divisions of human beings, the one who built the first wall: Satan (verses 15-16).
We want to belong. We want approval of who we are. We long for recognition. Here is the ultimate recognition. We belong to God and he desires our presence in his life. Satan will whisper that we are not good enough, that we are failures, and that we need to bring something of worth to the table. But God wants us as we are. He knows our faults, he knows our weaknesses. He desires our love just the same. This is all new to us because our minds have been blinded from the truth. We have spent our lives looking for love when it was right there all the time.
Prayer
Merciful God, we thank you for bringing us to the knowledge of your love and inclusion. We thank you God for allowing us to belong to your family, for allowing us into the unity of who you are; a God of mercy, grace, and We praise you, God, in Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Anne Gillam
About the writer:
Anne Gillam is a retired Pastor in Grace Communion International, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.
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