Belonging is. God’s Love For You

“And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/111/rom.1.6.niv

Under all that hair is a new pink collar.

It’s an annual event in our house, both exciting and dreaded.  Every Christmas dogs get new collars. The year’s worth of grime is discarded and replaced with shiny collars.  The dogs get very excited or maybe agitated.

I dread the switching of the tags. Separating the coiled wire holders to remove the license tags is only half the battle. The process is repeated to transfer the officially required tags to the new collars.  We have three dogs, six wrestling tags through those wire holders.  Full confession: I waited until my husband could do it!

I remember a dog movie from my past.  The dog with an owner explained the virtues of a collar to the stray dog. The memory made me think about belonging as did the sixth verse of Romans.

The search for belonging is a powerful drive of the individual.  Think of all we do to demonstrate to others to what we belong.I confess to wearing my professional football team's shirt to my quilt group because they all celebrate Red Friday. (Go Chiefs!) I belong to the group so I dress like the group. We act, talk and sometimes think like the group to which we desire to belong.

A quick internet search for the definition of belonging led me to "an affinity for place or situation."  Affinity means a liking or sympathy.  I think the desire for belonging is more powerful than just liking or sympathy.  It's desire, need and choice.

Sometimes we bristle at belonging because it appears as if we are owned.  The stray dog thought he'd lose his freedom and identity with an owner and a collar.  Yet the wearing of a collar represents love, security and choice.

Molly is not a morning dog and we were up very early.  I knew I wanted a photo for this blog.  I spoke the word "sit" and she did!  With Molly obedience is always a pleasant surprise. She is independent.  Yet Molly is my dog. She has the collar and dog tags to show it.  If I leave the room, she eventually comes to find me and settles near by. 

My limited ability to train my dogs depends on their desire to accept belonging to me and the trustworthiness of my reward system.  (The promise of hot dogs or "daddy cookies" guarantees compliance with my "command.")

This discussion of dog obedience does shed light on our relationship with Jesus, our belonging to Jesus.  It's my choice and my assurance of His trustworthiness.

I decided to follow Jesus.  He invited.  I accepted.  I don't  wear a physical collar. My heart is constrained by my desire to hear the words "good and faithful servant".  I have been assured the He is trustworthy and will provide for me, protect me and give me my place of belonging.

I belong to Jesus not because of anything I did or do.  God loved me and offered the way to belong,.  My search for belonging is complete.

(The dogs don't know it yet but today they get new tags-the city licenses. Hopefully my husband is available for the tag wrestling!)