Experiencing God's Presence Beyond Physical Spaces

Devotional

Day 1: God's Presence is Not Limited to Structures

God's presence has historically been associated with physical structures like the tabernacle and the temple, where the Israelites experienced His tangible presence. However, the narrative of God's presence extends beyond these buildings. From the patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who encountered God without a designated holy place, to the Samaritans who worshipped on Mount Gerizim, God's presence is diverse and expansive. The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians and later by the Romans challenges the notion that God requires a physical dwelling. Instead, it invites us to consider that God's presence transcends buildings and is not limited to any one location. This understanding encourages us to seek God's presence in our daily lives, wherever we are. [02:53]

"Thus says the Lord: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord.'" (Isaiah 66:1-2a, ESV)

Reflection: Where in your daily routine can you pause to acknowledge God's presence, even in the most mundane places?

Day 2: Worship is a Posture of the Heart

Psalm 112 calls us to a life of worship that transcends physical locations. Worship is not confined to a specific place but is about cultivating a heart that is in awe of God, receiving His light, and sharing it with others. This life of worship is a daily practice of turning to God and allowing His presence to fill us. It involves being open to His guidance and letting His love and grace overflow in our interactions with others. By focusing on the posture of our hearts, we can live a life of worship that is meaningful and transformative. [12:10]

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally cultivate a heart of worship today, regardless of your physical surroundings?

Day 3: Discovering Thin Places

We are encouraged to find our "thin places," where the separation between the divine and the earthly feels minimal, and where we can experience God's presence more intimately. These places can be in nature, in the city, or in acts of service. By seeking out these thin places, we open ourselves to experiencing God's nudges and challenges in our lives. These moments of connection can be transformative, helping us to see the world through God's eyes and respond to His call with greater clarity and purpose. [20:49]

"And Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.' And he was afraid and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'" (Genesis 28:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a "thin place" in your life where you feel God's presence more intimately. How can you visit this place more often?

Day 4: Creating Personal Sacred Spaces

The practice of creating a personal altar or sacred space in our daily lives serves as a reminder of God's constant presence. Whether it's lighting a candle, placing a prayer by the steering wheel, or setting aside a corner of your home for reflection, these small acts help us focus on God and invite His presence into our daily routines. By intentionally creating these sacred spaces, we can cultivate a deeper awareness of God's presence and nurture our spiritual growth. [22:32]

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6, ESV)

Reflection: What simple act can you incorporate into your daily routine to create a sacred space for encountering God?

Day 5: Overflowing with God's Love

By regularly turning to God, we allow Him to fill us with His love and grace. This overflow enables us to share these gifts with those around us, bringing light to a dark world. Our spiritual practices, though simple, have the power to restore our souls and impact others. As we receive God's love, we are called to let it flow through us, touching the lives of those we encounter and reflecting His light in our communities. [19:09]

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience God's love through you today, and how can you intentionally share it with them?

Sermon Summary

In today's worship, we explored the profound question of "Where is God?" and how this inquiry shapes our understanding of God's presence in our lives. Historically, the Israelites experienced God's presence in tangible forms, such as the tabernacle and the temple, which served as physical manifestations of God's dwelling among them. However, the narrative of God's presence is not confined to these structures. From the patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who encountered God without a designated holy place, to the Samaritans who worshipped on Mount Gerizim, the story of God's presence is diverse and expansive.

The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians and later by the Romans challenges the notion that God requires a physical dwelling. Instead, it invites us to consider that God's presence transcends buildings and is not limited to any one location. This understanding is echoed in Psalm 112, which calls us to a life of worship that is not about a place but about the posture of our hearts. A life of worship involves being in awe of God, receiving His light and love, and sharing these gifts with others.

We are encouraged to find our "thin places," where the separation between the divine and the earthly feels minimal, and where we can experience God's presence more intimately. These places can be in nature, in the city, or in acts of service. The spiritual practice of creating a personal altar or sacred space in our daily lives serves as a reminder of God's constant presence and our call to live a life of worship.

Ultimately, the message is that God is not confined to a building or a specific location. God is with us, in our hearts, and in our lives. By turning to God regularly, we allow Him to fill us with His love and grace, enabling us to overflow with these gifts to those around us. This week, let us intentionally seek out those moments and places where we can connect with God and let His presence transform our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. God's Presence Beyond Buildings: The historical narrative of God's presence, from the tabernacle to the temple, illustrates that God is not confined to physical structures. Instead, God's presence is with us, wherever we are, inviting us to experience Him in our daily lives. [02:53]
2. A Life of Worship: Psalm 112 calls us to a life of worship that transcends physical locations. It is about cultivating a heart that is in awe of God, receiving His light, and sharing it with others. This life of worship is a daily practice of turning to God and allowing His presence to fill us. [12:10]
3. Finding Thin Places: We are encouraged to find our "thin places," where we feel God's presence more intimately. These can be in nature, in the city, or in acts of service. These places help us connect with God and experience His nudges and challenges in our lives. [20:49]
4. Creating Sacred Spaces: The practice of creating a personal altar or sacred space in our daily lives serves as a reminder of God's constant presence. Whether it's lighting a candle or placing a prayer by the steering wheel, these small acts help us focus on God and invite His presence into our daily routines. [22:32]
5. Overflowing with God's Love: By regularly turning to God, we allow Him to fill us with His love and grace. This overflow enables us to share these gifts with those around us, bringing light to a dark world. Our spiritual practices, though simple, have the power to restore our souls and impact others. [19:09]
** [19:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:23] - The Tabernacle and Temple
[02:53] - God's Presence with the Patriarchs
[04:24] - The Samaritans' Worship
[06:10] - Theological Implications of God's Presence
[08:10] - Transition from Egypt to the Wilderness
[09:02] - Building the Temple in Jerusalem
[10:28] - Destruction and Rebuilding of the Temple
[12:10] - Psalm 112 and a Life of Worship
[16:15] - Sharing God's Gifts
[18:03] - The Overflowing Bucket
[19:09] - Spiritual Practice of Worship
[20:49] - Finding Thin Places
[22:32] - Creating Sacred Spaces
[22:32] - Conclusion and Call to Action

Sermon Clips

"God gave instructions for how to put together a tabernacle, a tent of meeting. And there's extensive instructions in Leviticus and Numbers about how to put together this tabernacle. And this was a tabernacle that had a holy of holies place, a smaller tent within the bigger tent, where only the high priest went. And the Ark of the Covenant was left. And that was where God lived." [00:01:33] (28 seconds)

"Because there's a theological issue here. If God is in the tent and moves with the people through the wilderness, or if God is living in the temple in the city of Jerusalem, how powerful is God? Like, is God everywhere or is God only there? I mean, what is God and what is our connection with God?" [00:02:53] (33 seconds)

"God shows up in Ur, in another country, the country we now call Iraq, over by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. God shows up and simply starts talking to Abraham. They build up a relationship and God's like, I want you to start walking with your family and your stuff, your flocks. I want you to go to a different place, the place that we now call Israel." [00:03:48] (24 seconds)

"In the New Testament, we hear about the Samaritans. Now, the Samaritans were people who worshipped God, the same God that the Jewish people worshipped. They had the same text of Moses that they read as Holy Scripture. But the Samaritans, who were neighbors of the Jewish people, did not go to Jerusalem to the temple to worship. They went to Mount Gerizim. North of Jerusalem. And they gathered there to worship God." [00:04:52] (30 seconds)

"Now, I think part of this story... of where is God has more to do with us than it has to do with God. Because I think God with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I think that's the core of who God is. I think God shows up in our lives. God works God's way into our life. Talks to us. Nudges us. Gives us ideas. Gets us to move and change and do things differently." [00:06:14] (33 seconds)

"So God, using the leadership of Moses, frees the Israelites from Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea. They are now in the wilderness. The wilderness of Sinai. And they don't know what to do. Like, where's our temple? Where do we go worship? So God gives them the instructions for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting." [00:08:10] (22 seconds)

"All of this is beautiful and lovely. But what if even the temple in Jerusalem was God trying to help us along? Because even there, they're looking around. They're looking at the neighbors. And they're like, all of our neighbors have temples. They've got beautiful buildings. We want a beautiful building. Just like our neighbors. It's what... It's what the Joneses are doing next door." [00:09:54] (30 seconds)

"so what do we believe does God need a building a place or is that our need is it something that God said have this place as a place to gather with me but do we really need that do we really need that does God really need that I think our theology today is that God is bigger than a building God is everywhere God is the God of the universe God can't be contained in any one building or cathedral" [00:12:10] (37 seconds)

"all of this leads us to our psalm today and I think when we sit with the words of this psalm I think we have to come to the realization that God is not about the building God is not about the temple the cathedral God is not about the church the cathedral God is not about the church not about a place rather God is looking for a place of worship in our hearts are our lives a life of worship" [00:13:38] (33 seconds)

"God has gifted us with light through the gift of his son, Jesus Christ. That we, by receiving Jesus Christ into our hearts, can become the light of Jesus. That we can bring Jesus' light to a dark world, to the people around us who are feeling a great darkness." [00:15:37] (23 seconds)

"So the spiritual practice today of worship in our life inspired by this psalm is to be turning to God on a regular basis so that God is refilling our bucket of light and love and grace so that we always have enough to share with the people around us." [00:19:24] (23 seconds)

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