Finding Our True Home in God's Presence

So many of us spend our lives searching for a place to call home—a place where we are fully known, accepted, loved, and even fiercely protected. This longing is not just about a physical space or a family of origin, but a deep spiritual yearning for belonging. The story of children torn from their families in “Before We Were Yours” reminds us how easily that sense of home can be lost, and how powerful the desire to find it again truly is. Yet, Psalm 84 points us to a profound truth: our truest home is found in God. No matter where we are, or what we have lost, God’s presence is always with us, nurturing us like the Shekinah—the many-breasted one—who cares for us wherever we go.

Throughout history, the understanding of God’s home has expanded—from the Ark of the Covenant, to the temple in Jerusalem, to the realization in exile that God’s presence is not confined to any building. Jesus embodied this truth, honoring the temple but also teaching that God’s care extends to the lilies of the field and the sparrows—reminding us that we are worth even more. The New Testament deepens this: we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, both individually and collectively. We are living stones, being built together into a spiritual home, imperfect but growing, learning, and called to welcome others as we ourselves have been welcomed.

Belonging is not passive; it is something we must nurture and risk. It means moving beyond our comfort zones, embracing others who are different, and trusting that God is at work in all of us. No one can take Jesus away from us, and no one can disqualify us from the table—because it is Jesus’ table, not ours. Even in times of exile, grief, or spiritual disconnection, God’s prevenient grace finds us in unexpected places—a touch, a word, a moment of kindness—and reminds us that we are home.

Wherever we go, we carry this home with us. We are called to extend that sense of belonging to others, to be a blessing in dry places, and to show the world the unending love of God. No matter how messy or vulnerable we feel, God always makes a home for us. And as we go out, may we help others find their home in God as well.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Our Deepest Longing for Home Is Met in God The ache for a place where we are fully known and accepted is universal, but earthly homes and relationships can never fully satisfy it. Psalm 84 reveals that our truest home is in God’s presence—a home that cannot be taken from us, no matter our circumstances or losses. This spiritual home is always available, nurturing us even in our most vulnerable and messy moments. [48:09]
• 2. God’s Presence Is Not Confined—It Expands with Us The journey of Israel shows how the understanding of God’s dwelling place grew—from a tent, to a temple, to the realization that God’s presence is with us everywhere, even in exile. Jesus affirmed this by honoring sacred spaces but also teaching that God’s care is for all creation, and the New Testament proclaims that we ourselves are God’s temple. This means we can encounter God’s presence in every place and season of life. [53:24]
• 3. We Are Living Stones—Imperfect, Growing, and Called to Belong Together As living stones, we are being built into a spiritual home, not because we are perfect, but because God is at work in our imperfection. True Christian community means accepting one another’s flaws, trusting that God is shaping us together, and resisting the urge to judge or exclude. Our growth is lifelong, and our belonging is rooted in God’s grace, not our own achievement. [58:12]
• 4. Belonging Is a Risk and a Gift—No One Can Disqualify Us To belong is to risk vulnerability, to move beyond the familiar, and to embrace others on the journey—even when we feel like outsiders or exiles. The table of Jesus is open to all; no one can take Jesus away from us or disqualify us from belonging. Our task is to nurture this sense of belonging in ourselves and others, especially when the wider church or culture makes us feel unwelcome. [61:11]
• 5. God’s Grace Finds Us in Unexpected Places Even when we feel disconnected, angry, or lost, God’s prevenient grace meets us—sometimes in the most ordinary moments, like a touch or a word from a stranger. These encounters remind us that we are home in God, even when we don’t understand or feel ready. Our calling is to carry this home with us, offering it to others and trusting that God’s love is always making a place for us. [70:07]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Community Connections and Announcements
• [03:45] - Reflections on Loss and Longing for Home
• [08:20] - The Story of “Before We Were Yours”
• [13:05] - The Ache for Belonging
• [16:30] - Psalm 84: Our True Home in God
• [20:45] - The Expanding Presence of God
• [24:00] - Shekinah: God’s Nurturing Presence
• [27:10] - Jesus and the Temple: Home Everywhere
• [31:00] - We Are the Temple of the Holy Spirit
• [34:20] - Living Stones: Growing Together
• [38:00] - Radical Welcome and Belonging
• [43:15] - Exile, Christian Nationalism, and True Faith
• [48:09] - Risking Belonging and Embracing Imperfection
• [53:24] - Personal Story: Grief, Communion, and Coming Home
• [58:12] - God’s Grace in Unexpected Places
• [70:07] - Final Blessing and Sending Forth

Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Finding Our True Home in God”

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Bible Reading

Psalm 84:1-4, 10-12 (ESV)
> 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
> 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD;
> my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
> 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
> where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
> my King and my God.
> 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!
> ...
> 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
> I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
> than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
> 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
> the LORD bestows favor and honor.
> No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
> 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
> Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)
> 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
> 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

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Observation Questions

1. According to Psalm 84, who is able to find a home in God’s dwelling place, and what does this suggest about God’s welcome?
2. In the sermon, what examples were given of how the idea of God’s home changed for the people of Israel over time? [53:24]
3. What does 1 Corinthians 3:16 say about where God’s Spirit lives now?
4. How does the sermon describe the meaning of being “living stones” in 1 Peter 2? [58:12]

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Interpretation Questions

1. The psalmist says even the sparrow and swallow find a home at God’s altar. What does this image communicate about who belongs in God’s presence?
2. The sermon talks about God’s presence not being limited to a building, but going with us everywhere. How might this change the way someone thinks about “church” or “home”? [55:54]
3. The idea of being “living stones” means we are imperfect but growing together. What are some challenges and blessings of being part of a spiritual home made up of imperfect people? [58:12]
4. The sermon says, “No one gets to take Jesus away from you. And no one gets to disqualify you from church. It is Jesus’ table. None of us are in charge of the guest list.” What does this mean for how we view ourselves and others in the church? [01:01:11]

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Application Questions

1. The longing for home is described as a deep spiritual need. When in your life have you felt “at home” with God, and what helped you feel that way? [48:09]
2. The sermon shares that God’s presence goes with us, even in “dry places” or hard times. Can you think of a time when you felt God’s presence in an unexpected place or moment? What was that like? [01:10:07]
3. The pastor shared a story about feeling disconnected from God and church after a loss, but finding comfort in communion. Have you ever felt far from God or the church? What helped you reconnect, or what might help you now? [01:07:35]
4. The sermon says belonging is a risk and a gift. Is there a place in your life where you need to risk being vulnerable to belong more deeply? What would that look like? [01:01:11]
5. “We are living stones… not perfect, but growing.” Is there someone in your church or life who is hard for you to accept as part of God’s family? What is one step you could take to welcome or understand them better? [58:12]
6. The sermon reminds us that “no one can disqualify you from the table.” Are there ways you have felt excluded from church or faith community? How can you help make sure others feel included and at home? [01:01:11]
7. The pastor described a simple moment of kindness as a way God’s grace showed up. What is one small act of kindness you could offer this week to help someone else feel at home? [01:10:07]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray that each person would know they are fully accepted, loved, and at home in God, and that God would help them extend that welcome to others.