This morning there was the most beautiful sunrise infusing the world in soft orange. Even as I basked in the light, I couldn’t help but think of the saying “red in the morning sailor take warning” and yet, surrounded as I was by color so intense and pure and palpable, I couldn’t help but delight in all that God has done. In Him there is color and light and all that is…without Him is nothing. This morning in Jesus Calling: One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4. The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13.

Experiencing such beauty this morning, hearing now the thunder from the storms rolling in, how can I not offer thanks and gratefulness for all God does so powerfully? How can I not be in awe of Him? In Numbers 28, He is reminding the people to do just that; offer food offerings, drink offerings, sin offerings because all things come from God and not from us. They are about to enter the Promised Land and He wants them to not forget that they belong to Him.

Today we no longer offer sacrifices of animals without defect but we can offer hearts turned to Him in grateful love thankful for all He provides and does for us. As we begin to thank Him our hearts are changed. Our hearts are softened and we see blessings we took for granted before and we feel wonder and awe. One day we will gaze on the beauty of the Lord and the radiance of His light and love will illuminate our need for Him and our hearts will sing because our hearts know our home and where we belong and we belong to Him.

Belonging. Is that not what your heart desires most? He’s here always. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7. Can you imagine that beautiful light with Him? Belonging.