Belonging

     When I was growing up, we often had special get-togethers at my grandparent's house, and all the aunts, uncles, and cousins came.  We got to know each other.  As a family, we had a sense of belonging.  Then when the grandparent's passed away, the family gatherings stopped.  We no longer had the foundational structure of our grandparents.  Although aunts, uncles, and cousins knew each other and had  causal meetings, we slowly drifted apart never getting to know their children or their grandchildren.

     It can be the same in the Church family.  Although our Savior, remains the Foundation, never dies, and continues to call His children, many of God's children "choose" to drift away from the Church, never getting to know its existing members or the new ones.  Drifting away from the Church, we often even drift  further.  We drift away from God's Word.  What happens then to the sense of belonging?  What happens to getting to know the needs of others or them knowing ours?  How can we pray for each other?  

     As God's children, we need to remember that God chose us to "belong".  He created us to fit together as one with Him.  If we fail to attend His Church by choice, one of the pieces of His puzzle is missing!