Finding Home: Love, Grace, and Community

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Blessing Makes Every Place a Potential Home

The Israelites sought God’s blessing on the land, trusting that wherever God’s promise and presence dwell, true home can be found. Home is not just a physical location but a space made sacred by God’s faithfulness and provision. As we reflect on our own lives, we are reminded that God’s blessing transforms ordinary ground into holy ground, and that our sense of home is rooted in God’s ongoing work among us. Whether we are settled or wandering, God’s promise is to be with us, making every place a place of belonging. [24:35]

Deuteronomy 26:15 (ESV)
"Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."

Reflection: Where in your daily life do you need to pause and ask for God’s blessing, trusting that He can make that place—however ordinary—into holy ground?

Day 2: Home Is Where Love, Grace, and Acceptance Abound

Home is more than a building; it is where we experience love, acceptance, and grace, just as the prodigal son found upon returning to his father. The story reminds us that home is defined by relationships and the welcome we extend and receive, not by walls or addresses. In God’s family, we are invited to create spaces of belonging for ourselves and others, offering forgiveness and unconditional love. Wherever we are received with open arms, we find a glimpse of the home God desires for all His children. [32:41]

Luke 15:20-24 (ESV)
"And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the welcome and acceptance of “home” through you today, and how can you extend that grace to them?

Day 3: God’s Presence Makes All Ground Holy

There is nowhere we can go where God’s Spirit is not already present, making every place—no matter how mundane or overlooked—holy ground. Too often, we rush through the “in-between” spaces of our lives, missing the opportunities to encounter God and neighbor right where we are. The Christian understanding of home calls us to recognize God’s presence in every moment and every place, inviting us to slow down, notice, and honor the sacredness of our surroundings. [36:43]

Exodus 3:5 (ESV)
"Then he said, 'Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.'"

Reflection: What is one “in-between” place or routine moment in your week where you can intentionally pause and recognize God’s presence today?

Day 4: Home Is Meant to Be Shared with the Community

A Christian home is not meant to be isolated or closed off, but connected to the world and community around us. Just as Shenandoah National Park became a home because it was accessible and connected, our homes and hearts are called to be open, inviting others into spaces of comfort, acceptance, and love. We are challenged to resist shrinking our sense of home to a private refuge and instead to see it as a place of hospitality and connection, where God’s love is made tangible to others. [35:17]

Romans 12:13 (ESV)
"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."

Reflection: How can you open your home, your time, or your heart to someone in your community this week, making space for them to feel welcomed and loved?

Day 5: Our Calling Is to Point Others to God’s Love Already at Work

We are not called to bring God into places as if He were absent, but to recognize and point out that God’s love and Spirit are already at work wherever we go. Our task is to invite others into the home God is creating all around us, to help them see that they are already standing on holy ground, and to extend the invitation to belong, to be loved, and to be accepted. In doing so, we become co-creators of home, joining God in making every place a place of grace. [39:41]

Acts 17:27-28a (ESV)
"That they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’"

Reflection: Who is someone you encounter regularly who may not realize God’s love is already present in their life, and how can you gently point them to that truth this week?

Sermon Summary

Home is more than a physical place; it is a spiritual reality shaped by love, grace, and connection. As we reflect on our journeys—whether across the country or simply through the routines of daily life—we are reminded that home is not just where we find comfort, but where we experience the presence of God and the embrace of community. Shenandoah National Park, with its unique history as a home to many and its accessibility to so many Americans, serves as a metaphor for the nearness of spiritual home. It is not the grandeur or uniqueness of a place that makes it home, but the relationships, the welcome, and the sense of belonging we find there.

Scripture offers a complex view of home. The Israelites longed for a promised land, a place of blessing and abundance. The story of the prodigal son reveals home as a place of forgiveness and restoration, while Jesus and the apostles often lived without a fixed home, finding their belonging in God and in the communities they served. This tension invites us to see home not as a static location, but as a dynamic reality shaped by God’s presence and our openness to others.

In our modern world, the idea of home has often become more insular and disconnected from the wider community. We build barriers, both physical and emotional, that separate us from our neighbors and the world around us. Yet, the Christian understanding of home calls us to expand our vision. Every place is holy ground because God’s Spirit is already present. We are invited to recognize and participate in what God is already doing, to create spaces of welcome, acceptance, and love wherever we are.

We do not need to travel far to encounter God or to find a sense of home. The sacred is present in our homes, our neighborhoods, and even in the places we might otherwise overlook. Our calling is to open our hearts and our doors, to invite others into the love and grace we have received, and to see every moment and every place as an opportunity to experience and share the presence of Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. Home is Defined by Love and Grace, Not Geography The essence of home is not found in a particular location or building, but in the experience of love, acceptance, and grace. Whether in the story of the Israelites seeking a promised land or the prodigal son returning to his father, true home is where we are received and restored. This challenges us to cultivate spaces—wherever we are—where love and grace abound. [31:26]
2. God’s Presence Makes Every Place Holy There is no place where God is absent; the Holy Spirit is already at work in every corner of our lives and communities. Even the “in-between” places we often overlook are filled with divine potential. Recognizing this truth transforms our perspective, inviting us to treat every encounter and every space as sacred. [36:43]
3. Home is Meant to Be Shared, Not Guarded The Christian vision of home is expansive and outward-facing. Rather than retreating into private comfort, we are called to connect our homes to the world around us, inviting others into the safety and acceptance we have found. This means actively seeking ways to welcome, serve, and include those who may feel excluded or overlooked. [39:41]
4. Spiritual Pilgrimage Happens Where We Are We do not need to embark on distant journeys to encounter God or to grow spiritually. Every day offers opportunities for pilgrimage as we open ourselves to God’s presence in our ordinary surroundings. The ground beneath our feet is holy, and God’s love is available here and now, inviting us to deeper awareness and gratitude. [38:45]
5. Our Mission is to Point to God’s Presence and Invite Others In As followers of Christ, our task is not to bring God into the world, but to recognize and reveal God’s presence that is already there. We are called to invite others into the experience of home—into the love, grace, and acceptance that God offers to all. This requires humility, openness, and a willingness to see every person and place as beloved by God.

** [41:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:27] - Introduction and Worship Series Recap
[10:27] - Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
[12:22] - Hymn and Children’s Time
[17:42] - Reflections on Home with Children
[23:23] - Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 26:15
[24:35] - National Parks Journey Recap
[25:52] - Shenandoah National Park: A Story of Home
[30:44] - What is Home? Biblical Reflections
[33:33] - The Shrinking Idea of Home
[35:17] - Connecting Home to Community
[36:43] - God’s Presence in Every Place
[38:45] - Creating Home and Welcoming Others
[41:12] - Invitation to Share God’s Love
[43:08] - Affirmation of Faith and Prayers
[48:40] - Confession, Forgiveness, and Invitation
[50:17] - Announcements and Opportunities to Serve
[57:09] - Clothing Closet Mission Focus
[60:40] - Closing and Online Worship Information

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 26:15 (ESV) — “Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Luke 15:17-24 (ESV) – The Prodigal Son Returns — 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

Luke 9:58 (ESV) — “And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’”

Observation Questions

In Deuteronomy 26:15, what is the significance of the land being described as “flowing with milk and honey”? What does this say about the Israelites’ understanding of home?
In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:17-24), what actions does the father take when his son returns? What do these actions reveal about the nature of home?
According to the sermon, how does Jesus’ statement about having “nowhere to lay his head” challenge our usual ideas of home? [32:07]
The sermon mentions that Shenandoah National Park was home to many before it became a park. What does this history add to our understanding of what makes a place “home”? [29:20]

Interpretation Questions

The Israelites longed for a promised land, but the sermon suggests that home is more than just a physical place. How does this tension between physical location and spiritual reality show up in your own life? [31:04]
The prodigal son’s story is about forgiveness and restoration. What does this teach us about the kind of welcome and acceptance that should define our homes and communities? [31:26]
Jesus and the apostles often lived without a fixed home. What does it mean to find belonging in God and in community, rather than in a specific place? [32:07]
The sermon says, “There is nowhere that we can be separated from the power and the grace and love of God.” How does this idea change the way we see the places and people around us? [36:43]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to see home as a place defined by love and grace, not just geography. What is one way you can make your home (or another space you spend time in) more welcoming and grace-filled this week? [31:26]
The idea that “God’s presence makes every place holy” invites us to treat every encounter and space as sacred. Is there a place in your daily routine that you usually overlook? How could you approach it differently, knowing God is already there? [36:43]
The Christian vision of home is meant to be shared, not guarded. Who in your life might feel excluded or overlooked? What is one practical step you can take to invite them into a sense of belonging? [39:41]
The sermon says we don’t need to travel far to encounter God. What is one ordinary moment or place where you have recently experienced God’s presence? How can you be more aware of these moments? [38:45]
The pastor mentioned that our idea of home has become more insular and disconnected from community. Are there any “barriers” (physical or emotional) you have built that keep you from connecting with your neighbors? What would it look like to lower one of those barriers this week? [33:33]
The mission of the church is to point to God’s presence and invite others in. What is one way you can help someone else experience the love, grace, and acceptance of God this month? [41:12]
The sermon used the example of the church’s clothing closet as a way to create a welcoming space for others. Is there a ministry or act of service you feel called to participate in, or start, to help others feel at home? [57:09]

Sermon Clips

But the Christian understanding of home, our understanding of home is that our understanding of place is that there is nowhere where God doesn't show up. There is nowhere where the ground isn't made holy by the presence of the Holy Spirit. There is nowhere that we can be separated from the power and the grace and love of God. [00:36:34] (21 seconds) #SpiritualPilgrimageAtHome

And yet, so often in our lives, we think of the places in between as places to be skipped over or avoided. We connect our homes to our cars and our cars to the place we're going. And we miss everything in between, which means that we miss the people in between, which means we miss the opportunities to see God in between. [00:36:55] (28 seconds) #CreatingHomeTogether

As we walk away from this National Parks series, one of the things that I want to make sure we understand is that we don't have to go to national parks to encounter nature. We don't have to go to the national parks to encounter God, to encounter the love of Christ. We can encounter the love of Christ here where we are and right outside of our doors. [00:37:23] (21 seconds) #GodIsAlreadyHere

Spiritual pilgrimage doesn't mean we have to go somewhere else entirely. We can have a spiritual pilgrimage in our homes. We can encounter God now and here all the ground around us is holy ground. We don't need to go anywhere else to find God. We don't need to go anywhere else to be at home. [00:38:19] (35 seconds) #HolyGroundEverywhere

We create home. We create home for ourselves and we create home for for each other. If home is just the idea of acceptance, if home is just the idea of being loved, of being received, of experiencing grace, then that's something that a already exists wherever we are because the Holy Spirit is already moving and active wherever we are. [00:38:54] (35 seconds) #OpenHomeOpenHearts

So then it's to us as the church isn't to bring God with us wherever we go, it's to go to places and say, God's already here. God's love is already at work. God's love, God's grace, God's power, God's might is already at work right here, right now. [00:39:30] (22 seconds)

We can invite others into a home that is wherever we are. We can invite people into home, into comfort, into acceptance, into love, wherever we find ourselves. Because the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is already at work in that place. Jesus Christ is already at work here, is already at work outside of our doors. Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is at work in those places we skip over. [00:39:51] (29 seconds)

``Heck, Jesus Christ is and the Holy Spirit at work in Nebraska, we don't have to skip over anything because we know that the Holy Spirit is already there. And our job as people of Christ is to point to the God that's already there. Is to invite others into that spirit of home, is to invite others into the safety of the love of Christ and say, here is God's love. You don't have to go anywhere else to find it. You don't have to go across the country. God's love is right here, right now. All the ground around us is holy. [00:40:20] (67 seconds)

And our task as the church is to go out into the world and say, the Spirit's here. Christ is here. The love of God is here. Will you receive it? Will you know it? Christ has been resurrected and that life has been placed before you wherever you are. Will we invite people into that home? Will we make it so that others will be able to receive that home, will be able to enter into that love? Will we connect ourselves to the world around us and say, this ground is holy? Or will we focus inwardly and say, this is my home. It's my safety? [00:41:28] (71 seconds)

Christ calls us to open up. Christ calls us to say, yes, this is your home. You are loved here. Christ calls us to invite everyone, everyone to that holy ground that they're already standing on. [00:42:40] (26 seconds)

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