Creating Space for God's Presence in Our Lives
Summary
What a joy it is to gather together and reflect on the unique blessing of being part of a healthy, vibrant church community. Sometimes, when we’re in the midst of something good, we can take it for granted, not realizing how rare and precious it is. The health of this church is not accidental—it’s the result of intentionality, sacrifice, and a willingness to serve and represent Jesus well in our region. As we look to the future, God is stirring many of us to not only value what we have but to consider how we might help reproduce this health in other places, whether by serving in new ways, stepping into new assignments, or even being sent out to plant or support new works.
As we enter the summer season, it’s easy to let routines slip and become distracted. Yet, this is a crucial time to remain tethered—deeply connected—to the presence of God. Drawing from John 15, we’re reminded that what we are bound to is what we are blessed through. Rather than asking God to bless our plans, we are invited to discern where He is moving and join Him there. This is the heart of spiritual fruitfulness: remaining in Him, not just visiting His presence occasionally, but making space for Him to dwell with us daily.
The story of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 offers a powerful picture of what it means to move beyond a visitor mindset. She didn’t settle for occasional encounters with God’s presence; she created a permanent space—a habitation—for the prophet, and by extension, for God’s blessing. This required intentional preparation, subtraction of distractions, and a willingness to make room for what truly matters. Her story reminds us that God is no respecter of persons; anyone can experience His favor if they are willing to make space for Him.
The four items she placed in the prophet’s room—a bed, a table, a chair, and a lampstand—each symbolize aspects of God’s provision: restoration, supply, access, and guidance. When crisis came, the very space she had prepared became the place of her miracle. In the same way, when we intentionally create space for God in our lives, He meets us with restoration, provision, and direction, often in ways we could never have anticipated.
This is a call to examine our lives: What needs to be subtracted or added so that God’s presence can dwell more fully? Let’s be people who don’t just seek a Sunday visitation, but who build a daily habitation for God, trusting that He will redeem, restore, and bless as we remain tethered to Him.
Key Takeaways
- Value and Steward What God Has Given
It’s easy to overlook the blessing of a healthy church community when you’re immersed in it. True health is cultivated through intentionality, service, and a willingness to represent Jesus well. We are called not only to appreciate what we have but to consider how God might use us to reproduce this health in other places, whether by serving in new ways or stepping out in faith to new assignments. [21:51]
- Move Beyond a Visitor Mindset to Habitation
God desires more than occasional visits; He wants to dwell with us. Like the Shunammite woman, we are invited to create intentional space for God’s presence, not just on Sundays but in our daily lives. This means preparing our hearts, removing distractions, and cultivating habits that make room for Him to remain, not just pass by. [31:48]
- What You’re Tethered to Determines Your Blessing
Jesus teaches that abiding in Him is the source of true fruitfulness. Rather than asking God to bless our own plans, we are called to discern where He is moving and align ourselves with His purposes. The blessings of God flow through what we are connected to; our spiritual health and impact are directly tied to our willingness to remain tethered to Him. [28:02]
- Intentional Preparation Precedes Restoration and Provision
The Shunammite woman’s preparation—her willingness to build and furnish a room—became the very means through which God brought restoration and provision in her life. The bed, table, chair, and lampstand each represent aspects of God’s care: rest, supply, access, and guidance. When we make space for God, He often uses what we’ve prepared in advance to meet needs we didn’t even know we’d have. [34:31]
- God Redeems and Restores What Seems Lost or Dormant
Even when seasons of loss or crisis come, God is able to restore what has been taken and resurrect what seems dead. The Shunammite woman received back not only her land and crops but also the son she thought she had lost. God’s timing and restoration often exceed our expectations, reminding us that He rewards those who seek Him and remains faithful to His promises. [41:10]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Reflections on Healthy Church Community
[04:30] - The Value of Intentionality in Church Life
[07:45] - Vision for Church Planting and Missions
[10:50] - Entering the Summer: Staying Spiritually Connected
[13:20] - The Meaning of Being Tethered to God
[15:30] - John 15: Abiding and Bearing Fruit
[18:00] - 2 Kings 4: The Shunammite Woman’s Story
[21:51] - Moving Beyond a Visitor Mindset
[26:13] - Creating Space for God’s Presence
[28:02] - Aligning with God’s Movement
[31:48] - Habitation vs. Visitation
[34:31] - Subtracting Distractions, Making Room
[37:00] - The Four Items: Bed, Table, Chair, Lampstand
[41:10] - Restoration and God’s Faithfulness
[45:00] - Responding: Building a Habitation for God
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Creating Space for God’s Presence
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### Bible Reading
- John 15:1-8 (Abiding in the Vine)
- 2 Kings 4:8-37 (The Shunammite Woman Prepares a Room for Elisha)
- 2 Kings 8:1-6 (Restoration of the Shunammite Woman’s Land)
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### Observation Questions
1. In John 15, what does Jesus say is the result of remaining (abiding) in Him? What happens if we do not remain connected to Him?
2. What specific steps did the Shunammite woman take to make space for Elisha in her home? What items did she place in the room, and what might they represent? ([29:24])
3. According to the sermon, what is the difference between a “visitor mindset” and creating a “habitation” for God’s presence? ([31:48])
4. When the Shunammite woman faced crisis, how did the space she had prepared for God’s presence become significant? ([34:31])
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize “remaining” or “abiding” in Him rather than just visiting His presence occasionally? What does this say about the kind of relationship He wants with us?
2. The Shunammite woman’s preparation was intentional and sacrificial. What does her example teach us about the kind of effort it takes to make room for God in our lives? ([34:31])
3. The sermon says, “What you are bound to, you will be blessed through.” How does this principle play out in the story of the Shunammite woman and in our own spiritual lives? ([26:13])
4. The four items in the prophet’s room (bed, table, chair, lampstand) were highlighted as symbols of God’s provision. How might these items reflect different ways God meets our needs? ([34:31])
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon challenges us to value and steward the blessing of a healthy church community. Have you ever taken your church community for granted? What is one way you can intentionally invest in or serve your church this season? ([21:51])
2. As summer routines change, it’s easy to drift spiritually. What is one practical step you can take to stay “tethered” to God’s presence during this season? ([26:13])
3. The Shunammite woman made space for God by removing distractions and preparing a room. Is there something in your life that needs to be subtracted or added so that God’s presence can dwell more fully? What is it, and what would it look like to make that change? ([34:31])
4. The sermon talks about moving from a “visitor mindset” to a “habitation” mindset with God. Do you tend to treat God’s presence as a Sunday-only experience, or do you make space for Him daily? What is one habit you could start (or restart) to cultivate a daily habitation for God? ([31:48])
5. When crisis comes, the Shunammite woman’s preparation became the place of her miracle. Can you think of a time when your spiritual preparation (prayer, Scripture, community) helped you through a difficult season? How did God meet you there? ([34:31])
6. The sermon says God is “no respecter of persons”—anyone can experience His favor if they make space for Him. What holds you back from believing God wants to meet you personally? How can you take a step of faith this week? ([34:31])
7. The four items in the prophet’s room represent rest, supply, access, and guidance. Which of these do you most need from God right now? How can you intentionally seek Him for that need? ([34:31])
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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for one another, asking God to help each person create space for His presence in a new way this week.
Devotional
Day 1: Remain Tethered to Christ for Lasting Fruit
To be truly fruitful in life, we must remain deeply connected—tethered—to Jesus. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it remains attached to the vine, our spiritual vitality and effectiveness flow from our ongoing relationship with Christ. When we try to operate in our own strength or pursue our own plans apart from Him, we find ourselves empty and unproductive. But when we seek where God is moving and align ourselves with His purposes, blessing and fruitfulness follow. The call is not to ask God to bless our plans, but to join Him in what He is already doing, trusting that what we are bound to, we will be blessed through. [28:02]
John 15:5,16 (ESV)
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing… You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
Reflection: Where in your life are you trying to “go it alone” instead of seeking to be tethered to Jesus and His purposes? What would it look like to intentionally realign that area with Him today?
Day 2: Create a Habitation, Not Just a Visitation, for God’s Presence
God desires more than a fleeting visit in our lives; He longs for a dwelling place, a habitation where His presence can remain. Like the Shunammite woman who made room for Elisha, we are invited to intentionally prepare space in our hearts, homes, and routines for God to dwell—not just on Sundays, but every day. This means removing distractions, setting aside time, and cultivating an environment where God is welcomed and honored. When we move beyond a visitor mindset and make God’s presence a priority, we experience His nearness in every season and situation. [34:31]
2 Kings 4:8-10 (ESV)
“One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. And she said to her husband, ‘Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.’”
Reflection: What is one practical way you can prepare a place—physically or spiritually—for God’s presence to dwell in your life this week, rather than just “visiting” Him occasionally?
Day 3: Subtract and Add: Make Room for God’s Presence
Sometimes, before God can build something new in us, we must be willing to subtract—removing old habits, offenses, or sins that crowd out His presence. Just as a home remodel requires tearing down walls to increase capacity, our spiritual lives may need a similar renovation. This could mean letting go of past hurts, forgiving others, or evicting patterns that hinder intimacy with God. At the same time, we are called to add to our lives—especially the Word of God and spiritual disciplines that anchor us. When we intentionally make space, God fills it with His peace, guidance, and blessing. [36:50]
Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)
“…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Reflection: What is one thing you sense God asking you to “tear down” or “subtract” from your life, and what is one spiritual practice you can “add” to make more room for Him?
Day 4: God Restores What Is Lost When We Remain Faithful
God is a restorer—He brings dead things to life and returns what has been lost. The Shunammite woman’s story is a testimony that when we create space for God and remain faithful, He can restore years of loss, broken dreams, and even the impossible. Even when we do not expect a reward, God sees our faithfulness and finds ways to bless us beyond what we could imagine. Restoration may not always come in the way or timing we expect, but God’s promises are sure for those who seek Him and trust His timing. [41:40]
2 Kings 8:1-6 (ESV)
“Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, ‘Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the Lord has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.’ So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, ‘Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.’ And while he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, ‘My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’ And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, ‘Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.’”
Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel loss or disappointment? How can you trust God today to restore and redeem what seems broken or gone?
Day 5: The Power of Spiritual Habits and the Word
Daily engagement with God’s Word and spiritual habits is transformative. Just as reading Proverbs daily brought wisdom and breakthrough in a season of struggle, immersing ourselves in Scripture and spiritual disciplines shapes our decisions, renews our minds, and positions us for God’s blessing. The lampstand in the Shunammite woman’s room symbolizes God’s Word as a light to our path, guiding us through uncertainty and equipping us for every good work. Consistency in these habits is not about earning God’s favor, but about creating space for His voice and direction in our lives. [39:50]
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Reflection: What is one new habit you can start this week to engage with God’s Word daily, and how might this bring clarity or direction to a current decision or challenge?
Quotes
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