Belonging

"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him." (3 Nephi 11:7)

Heavenly Father says "my". Let's assume for the moment that translationally, this is still correct. (Regardless, the following principles are true.)

Everything belongs to Heavenly Father. Which is why we can thank Him for the air we breathe, for the beauty of nature, for the functionality of every physical constant and system. Christ Created all of this under the direction of the Father.

When I have created something, it's mine. When I have worked for something, it's mine. It's mine in the sense that, I don't let anyone claim it unless I gift it otherwise. I love it, and I keep it cared for.

Isn't Heavenly Father the same way?

Many of us feel abandoned, forgotten, neglected or lost. If ever it is our fault, we can repent. If ever it is not our fault, we can turn to God. Why do we not sense that God is so very extremely immersed in His interest in our progression? We belong to Him! As if He would let us run off on our own without protection and a way back.

During the depths of his anguish in liberty jail, Joseph's first words from Heaven as recorded was "my".

In the Garden of Gethsemane, anyone near might have heard Christ call out "My God, my God, ..."

When we speak of the Saviour. we may say along with Job, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter-day upon the earth."

We know the gospel is about families. It's about eternal progression and reward. It's about overcoming all things. Let's add to this list that it's about belonging. This may remind many of the high school English theme of belonging - oh how I wish I had known then what I knew now: the gospel is about belonging. We belong to Heavenly Father. He belongs to us: that is, Heavenly Father is MY Father.

At the end of the movie Charly, a husband loses His wife. He had struggled for a long time with the question, "Why wouldn't God save my wife?" When instead He realised within Himself that the real question was, "Why wouldn't God cry alongside me?" Because He did. God suffers along with us. He is sad when we are sad, and happy when we are happy. The marginal or large moments in life when we are depressed are because we have forgotten - we have demonstrated the opposite of the most important word (remember) - forgotten how we felt when the Spirit testifies to us, forgotten what it is like "to earn a great reward" after a long hard slogged effort, because we didn't "shun the fight?"

Let's make an implication from a collection of axioms: We belong to Heavenly Father, who is filled with immense love, and knows everything. Therefore, His plan is best. Therefore, His ways are highest. Therefore, He has everything in control if we are striving to push forward with all we can do, teamworking with Him.

"His delays may always seem long, but they are always calculated to bless." (Henry Eyring)

Let me extend the concept of belonging a little more.

In my lifetime, I have had a few people who I have had unkind feelings for - even hated. A concept that is more likely relatable to those who have had children, Heavenly Father loves both myself and the people I've hated equally. The feelings of a parent watching their fighting children is depressing, and has been around since before the world was: Satan's fall from Heaven. Cain's murder of his brother. Joseph's brothers selling him into Egypt. Laman and Lemuel's rebellion.

Regardless of all of these negative events, Heavenly Father still has a love for these people. My brother was in a Q&A session with our bishop, who taught that maybe outside this eternal timeline, Satan does have another chance. But that's deep doctrine for another day.

Let us remember that we belong, and hold that in our hearts forever, because it is true forever.

3 Nephi 11