Belonging

Sue’s Views
What makes young people so wreckless and foolhardy as we’ve seen in our nation recently? I can only think that the powerful desire to belong is greater than the desire to be safe. The devil is ….. and always has been ….. a liar! Lying is the only language he knows ….. and he is very smart to use it for his own ends. He twists ….. questions and manipulates ….. the truth. One of his greatest schemes is the Spirit of Rejection. Through family breakdowns ….. damning words ….. drugs etc ….. very young kids get the message they are unwanted ….. useless ….. and hopeless. They will do anything to belong! 
Listen to God’s Words to the nation of Israel ….. a nation of rebellious people who continually turned their backs on God and wanted to do things their way.
“But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” Isaiah 43:1 (Message Bible)