by Kala Loptien

We Belong

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking the Sound Cloud link.

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.”
Psalm 139:1-3 English Standard Version

I grew up in a town – a village – of 400 people. I believe it was 388 to be exact. We didn’t have a stop light; and my sweet little street was (and is still) a gravel road. Shopping trips were to nearby towns. And everywhere you went, you were known.

Over the years, our journey led us to considerably larger cities. The bustle of a bigger city was intriguing and a little bit glamorous to me. So much energy; so many places to see; so many people hustling in a million directions. No one stopping to chat or ask questions. In some ways, it felt freeing to be a tiny fish in a giant, rushing sea. Ironically, in other ways, the feeling of anonymity was a little disquieting.

When we moved to a small, remote town on the prairie this summer, we were known before we arrived. Everything felt immediately familiar. We see neighbors at the store, classmates at soccer games and friends out walking. Our doctor sits a few rows behind us in church, our dentist lives across the street and we’ve had multiple (surprise) front-door deliveries of corn and other veggies.

We all know every place has its perks and its drawbacks. The good news is they have one glorious thing in common: God is there in the midst of it all. Whether everyone knows your name (and business) or you’re one in a million, He’s there. He knows you best — every thought; every tear and every fear. We can find comfort in chaos and peace in the bare minimum. No matter our story, or the map of our journey, there’s something deeply-reassuring about being fully known and loved. We don’t have to prove our worth or that we belong. God says we do.

Thank you, Lord, for choosing us. (John 15:!6)

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado