Belonging is the Glory of God

Where do you belong? 

Think about that right now. Where are you confident of your connections in this world? Where are you most at ease? How do you know you belong? What are the markers of acceptance that you've experienced? 

At a deep, soul level of our being, we have been created as those who belong – those who connect – those who love and are loved. We are created this way to reflect the glory of the one true triune community of God. God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit – One, as though in a dance. We are made in the image of this mysterious divine relationship. This is why we long to belong.

I find it interesting that the gospel of Jesus Christ so often gets reduced to a rescue plan from sin, and a ticket to an eternal paradise we can hold onto in our back pocket for the day our death arrives. True in part, no doubt, but the Gospel of Jesus is so much bigger and so much more beautiful than that. 

The life, death, and resurrection power in Jesus is at work in our world to reveal the full glory of God – and that glory is revealed as we are restored to be people who reflect belonging. This is the glory of God for the world – that we all would see His divine community on display in us and through us who are found in Jesus. 

What a beautiful gospel!

Where the fall brought in division, Jesus restores oneness.

Where the fall brought in opposition, Jesus brings communion.

Where the fall gave us separation, Jesus knits a diverse expression of unity.

Where the fall left us to our own shame, Jesus redeems us to His glory. 

We, who were made for belonging, fallen to shame, and restored to His glory are not only to experience true community, but we are to become preachers and practitioners of its beauty. We are to be heralds of belonging, inclusion, and true communion. Doing so is what it looks like to glorify God. 

Hear these words from Galatians 3:26 – 28

You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

There is no division.

There is no separation.

There is no shame.

Only belonging for those who are in Jesus. 

What a beautiful Gospel that is. Now go and preach it far and wide. Belonging is the glory of God.