You belong somewhere

For much of my early life I felt like I did not fit in anywhere. When I took the Myers-Briggs personality test I scored ENTP.  If you are familiar with this profile you may recognize what is described as "The Inventor".  This is the rarest of all the possible combinations of traits.  The results stated, "people with this score often feel like they are 'strangers in a strange land.'" I sure did.

I often felt alone in the cosmos, without meaning and purpose.  It was hard to talk about these things with my friends because it was such a downer.  Who wants to think about things that seem to have no answer?

Of course, when I came to Christ all this changed.  The end of my freshman year in college I received Christ.

 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (Jn 1:12-13, NASB95)

The minute we trust Christ as Savior we join a forever family.  We become a child of God.  We have a heavenly Father, with new brothers and sisters.  We belong to the Body of Christ.  When we recite the Apostle's Creed, we say "I believe in the holy Catholic Church".  The term catholic is not referring to the Roman Catholic Church as some mistakenly think.  The term catholic means "all people in all places at all times".  We are connected to all the true believers who have ever lived, and who will ever live.  We are connected to all believers across the globe.

This knowledge has been especially meaningful to me. I felt as though I fit in.  I belonged somewhere.  This sense of profound connection that we have in Christ is explained with several vivid analogies in Scripture:

We belong… 

·         To a forever family

·         As a member of the Body of Christ

·         As a citizen in God's Kingdom

·         As a branch on the Vine

·         As a building block in the Temple

I found that the relationships we have with brothers and sisters in Christ are deep and lasting.  Even though we may travel around the world we meet new friends and have a meaningful connection.  It is utterly amazing.  I suppose it is because we have so much in common with fellow believers no matter the geographical or cultural distance.

I also found how important it is to stay connected with fellow Christians.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (Heb 10:23-25, NASB95)

Obviously, the same dynamic existed in the early church that we see today.  Christians often "neglect assembling together".  When this happens there can be dire consequences.  We desperately need the stimulation and encouragement that comes through engagement with the Body of Christ.  And they need us.

Stay connected.  Do whatever it takes to maintain meaningful fellowship with one another.  If you can't meet in person, join an on-line gathering.  Someone once pointed out, "if you remove one charcoal from the fire, it quickly goes out."  You need us, and we need you.