A place to belong in this world and the next

No matter where Corrina lived, she always felt caught between two worlds. The daughter of a US serviceman and a German mother, she never quite fit in—not in Germany, not in America, not in school, not even in her church. The church she grew up in focused more on what people must do rather than on what Christ has already done for us. Corrina knew her sins and because of them, she never felt she truly belonged. She longed for a place she could call home.

Years later, Corrina moved to Dallas, Texas, to care for her aging mother. Because of her own health needs, she moved into an assisted living complex, the same one where a member of our congregation lived.

I first met Corrina on a follow-up visit after she attended our Saturday evening worship, invited by that member. I still remember her words: “Pastor, it means so much for you to take the time to visit me. I felt so loved at your church.” At the time, I didn’t realize the weight of her words, but after hearing her story I understood what she was really saying: “I finally know where I belong.”

What made her say that after a lifetime of feeling out of place? Jesus did. Jesus’ full and free forgiveness gave peace to her soul. Where he is, she wants to be.

Corrina’s health often makes it difficult to attend worship, but she refuses to let it stop her. A few months ago, after she fractured a bone in her neck, I told her it was okay to rest and that I would come visit. Her answer was immediate: “If I let this become an excuse to miss church, then anything can be an excuse.” Sure enough, she was there the next day. She wanted to be where she belonged—listening to her Savior’s voice.

Corrina continues to face health challenges, but nothing can rob her of the peace she has in Christ. After a difficult diagnosis, she told me, “I can’t wait to see the room Jesus has prepared for me with my name on it.” She knows where she truly belongs—at her Savior’s side forever.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Corrina has learned where she belongs: in the family of God here on earth and eternally with him in heaven. Who in your life is still searching for that place? A simple invitation to worship may be the way God shows that person, “You belong with me.”

Written by Pastor Ben Schone, home missionary at Calvary Lutheran Church in Dallas, Texas.