Like so many, I was so moved by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs performing "Fast Car" at the Grammy's last week. I must admit, I pressed play over and over. It just touched me to the core. Her radiant smile and beauty. The way they sang together. The way Combs honored Chapman and recognized he was with greatness.
Why did it touch us so much? Was it the nostalgia of it all? Was it because of the story of loving and caring for people and not being a victim? Was it the feeling of belonging and driving to a new life? Was it the reality that you cannot change somebody even if they need help? Or maybe a song of compassion and hope, which we all need?
Do any of these phrases connect with you?....
I know things’ll get better
You’ll find work and I’ll get promoted
And we’ll move out of the shelter
Buy a better house and live in the suburbs
Somebody’s gotta take care of him/So I quit school and that’s what I did
And I, had a feeling that I belonged
I, I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone.
I had a feeling that I belonged. Yeah, that hit me. I’ve always struggled with feeling different. And so that word hit me hard. Belonging. We all want to belong, don’t we? Maybe you’ve asked these questions at one point or another.
Who will accept me for who I really am? How can I experience meaningful belonging? How many people know me well? Do I fit in and what does that look like?
Genesis 16 tells the story of three characters, Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. Abram and Sarai were to care for Hagar, who was an outsider. Instead of helping her belong, Hagar was abused and mistreated. Hagar then fled from them, trying to find her way, only to have the angel of the Lord find her and ask: “Where have you come from and where are you going?" (Genesis 16:8) This is our God! I’m so grateful that Hagar was pursued by God! Hagar wasn’t even looking for God. But God was looking for her.
God finds those who are destitute and don’t feel they belong and brings them back to Himself. Whether you feel that you are alone or isolated, you have a God who is personal and sees you.
Where are you seeking to belong? Are you listening to the enemy's lies that say, “You’re all alone.” “You don’t belong.” Do you feel that God has abandoned you? Please know that God loves you so much and pursues you wholeheartedly.
Tim Keller wrote “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is a lot like being loved by God.”
Let’s just take one more listen and enjoy:https://twitter.com/
Hope is not just in hoping things get better. Hope is in Christ, where we can have a firm foundation: https://www.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
You’ll find work and I’ll get promoted
And we’ll move out of the shelter
Buy a better house and live in the suburbs
Somebody’s gotta take care of him/So I quit school and that’s what I did
And I, had a feeling that I belonged
I, I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone.
I had a feeling that I belonged. Yeah, that hit me. I’ve always struggled with feeling different. And so that word hit me hard. Belonging. We all want to belong, don’t we? Maybe you’ve asked these questions at one point or another.
Who will accept me for who I really am? How can I experience meaningful belonging? How many people know me well? Do I fit in and what does that look like?
Genesis 16 tells the story of three characters, Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. Abram and Sarai were to care for Hagar, who was an outsider. Instead of helping her belong, Hagar was abused and mistreated. Hagar then fled from them, trying to find her way, only to have the angel of the Lord find her and ask: “Where have you come from and where are you going?" (Genesis 16:8) This is our God! I’m so grateful that Hagar was pursued by God! Hagar wasn’t even looking for God. But God was looking for her.
God finds those who are destitute and don’t feel they belong and brings them back to Himself. Whether you feel that you are alone or isolated, you have a God who is personal and sees you.
Where are you seeking to belong? Are you listening to the enemy's lies that say, “You’re all alone.” “You don’t belong.” Do you feel that God has abandoned you? Please know that God loves you so much and pursues you wholeheartedly.
Tim Keller wrote “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is a lot like being loved by God.”
Let’s just take one more listen and enjoy:https://twitter.com/
Hope is not just in hoping things get better. Hope is in Christ, where we can have a firm foundation: https://www.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
