Finding True Peace and Security in God's Presence

Devotional

Day 1: Remembering God’s Provision in Our Fragile Shelters

God calls His people to remember that their security and provision come not from the comforts or structures of this world, but from His faithful presence and care. The Feast of Booths, or Sukkot, was a living history lesson for Israel, reminding them annually of their dependence on God during their wilderness journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. By stepping out of their sturdy homes and into fragile huts, families would recall and retell the stories of God’s faithfulness, passing down the memory of His provision to each new generation. In our own lives, we are invited to pause and remember that every good thing we have is a gift from God, not the result of our own strength or resources. [35:22]

Leviticus 23:34
“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord.” (ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical way you can set aside time this week to remember and recount God’s faithfulness and provision in your life, perhaps by sharing a story with a loved one or writing it down?

Day 2: Celebrating God’s Goodness with Joyful Obedience

God commands His people not just to remember, but to celebrate His goodness with open delight and gratitude, regardless of their circumstances. The call to “celebrate” during the Feast of Booths was not optional; it was a command to rejoice, to make merry, and to express gratitude as an act of obedience. True gratitude is not dependent on perfect circumstances but is a response to God’s unchanging faithfulness. When we treat gratitude as a command rather than a fleeting emotion, it transforms our outlook and infuses our lives with joy, even in the midst of challenges. [41:02]

Leviticus 23:40
“And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.” (ESV)

Reflection: How might your day change if you intentionally choose to celebrate God’s goodness today, even if your circumstances aren’t perfect? What is one way you can express that joy?

Day 3: Sharing God’s Blessings with Others

The joy and blessings God gives are not meant to be hoarded but shared generously with others, especially those who are often overlooked or forgotten. During the Feast of Booths, God instructed His people to invite not only family but also servants, strangers, orphans, and widows to join in the celebration. This radical hospitality was designed to teach every generation about God’s faithfulness and to ensure that no one was left out of the joy. In our communities, we are called to look beyond our familiar circles and extend God’s welcome to those who may feel excluded or alone, allowing our joy in Christ to overflow into the lives of others. [44:24]

Leviticus 23:42-43
“You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (ESV)

Reflection: Who in your daily life might feel like an outsider or overlooked? What is one specific way you can invite them to share in God’s blessing or joy with you this week?

Day 4: Christ, Our True Tabernacle and Eternal Shelter

All the feasts and rhythms of the Old Testament point forward to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who “tabernacled” among us and promises to dwell with us forever. The fragile booths of Israel were a sign of dependence, but in Christ, God Himself moves into our neighborhood, offering us a permanent, unshakeable home. Jesus is our shelter, our joy, and our future—He prepares a place for us and invites us to dwell with Him eternally. This truth transforms our understanding of security and belonging, reminding us that our ultimate home is with Christ, both now and forever. [47:06]

John 1:14
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to experience Jesus as your true shelter and home today? How can you invite Him to “move into the neighborhood” of your heart?

Day 5: Establishing Rhythms to Remember, Celebrate, and Share

God gives us rhythms—like holidays, communion, and daily reminders—to help us remember His provision, celebrate His goodness, and share His blessings with others. These practices are not empty rituals but living reminders that shape our hearts and lives, anchoring us in God’s faithfulness. Whether it’s journaling, singing a hymn, or opening your blinds to let in the morning sun as a symbol of God’s presence, these small acts can become sacred rhythms that draw us closer to Him and to one another. As we intentionally build these rhythms into our days, we find ourselves resting in God, rejoicing in His love, and extending His welcome to the world around us. [48:25]

Psalm 90:1
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” (ESV)

Reflection: What new rhythm or practice can you begin this week to help you remember, celebrate, or share God’s presence and faithfulness in your daily life?

Sermon Summary

The peace that Jesus gives is deeper and more enduring than any comfort this world can offer. Like the gentle dawn or the fragrance of flowers, his peace settles into the soul, reminding us that our security is not found in the things we build or the plans we make, but in the presence of God himself. This is the heart of the Feast of Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths—a time when God’s people left their sturdy homes to dwell in fragile huts, recalling the wilderness journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. This annual “camping trip” was not just a historical reenactment, but a living lesson: our true shelter is God, and our lives are a pilgrimage under his care.

Sukkot teaches us to remember God’s provision. The rhythm of the Jewish calendar, with its feasts and festivals, is a built-in reminder that we are not self-made. Just as families pull out old photo albums to remember their story, so too are we called to recall God’s faithfulness in our own lives. Without these rhythms, we risk forgetting and living as if we are our own providers.

But remembering is not enough; God commands us to celebrate. Gratitude is not a fleeting emotion, but an act of obedience. Even when circumstances are less than ideal, we are called to rejoice, to “delight openly” in God’s goodness. This celebration is not private, either. Sukkot was a communal event, inviting not just family, but servants, strangers, the orphan, and the widow. God’s blessings are meant to overflow from our lives into the lives of others, especially those who are often overlooked.

Ultimately, Sukkot points beyond itself to Jesus Christ, who “tabernacled” among us. He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell with his people—not in a flimsy tent, but as the living presence of God in our midst. He is our shelter, our joy, and our future. As we journey through life, we are invited to pitch our tent with him, to rest in his provision, to celebrate his goodness, and to share his blessings with a world in need.

Key Takeaways

1. True security is found in God’s presence, not in our own strength or resources. The fragile booths of Sukkot remind us that all our efforts at self-sufficiency are temporary, but God’s shelter is eternal. When we recognize our dependence on him, we find a peace that endures through every storm and uncertainty. [34:41]
2. Remembering God’s faithfulness requires intentional rhythms. Just as the Israelites had annual feasts to recall their story, we need practices—like journaling, sharing testimonies, or celebrating communion—that help us remember how God has provided and guided us. Without these reminders, we risk spiritual amnesia and the illusion of self-reliance. [38:32]
3. Gratitude is an act of obedience, not just a feeling. God commands us to celebrate, even when life is imperfect. When we treat gratitude as a discipline rather than an option, it transforms our perspective and opens our hearts to joy, regardless of our circumstances. [42:25]
4. God’s blessings are meant to be shared, not hoarded. The invitation to Sukkot extended to the marginalized and the stranger, teaching us that our joy in God is incomplete unless it overflows to others. Who are the “outcasts” in our lives that God is calling us to invite into his celebration? [45:43]
5. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell with us. He “tabernacled” among us, offering not just temporary shelter but eternal belonging. Our hope is not in the tents we pitch, but in the home Christ prepares for us—a place of lasting peace, joy, and communion with God. [47:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:01] - Song: Peace That My Savior Has Given
[29:23] - Honoring Warner and Ruth’s Anniversary
[30:13] - Introduction to the Fall Feasts
[30:53] - The Camping Lesson: Lack of Control
[32:46] - Sukkot: The Feast of Booths Explained
[34:41] - God’s Shelter and Our Security
[35:22] - Remembering God’s Provision
[37:17] - Living History: Passing Down Faith
[39:46] - The Danger of Forgetting
[41:02] - The Command to Celebrate
[43:07] - Sharing God’s Blessings with Others
[46:21] - Christ Fulfills the Feast
[48:25] - Practical Ways to Remember and Celebrate
[50:55] - The Deeper Meaning of Sukkot
[52:18] - Closing Hymn and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Leviticus 23:33-43 (ESV) — > And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord... You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

John 1:14 (ESV) — > And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Revelation 21:3 (ESV) — > And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

Observation Questions

According to Leviticus 23, what were the Israelites commanded to do during the Feast of Booths, and what was the purpose behind this command? ([35:22])
In John 1:14, what does it mean that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”? How does the word “dwelt” connect to the idea of “tabernacled”? ([46:21])
Who was invited to participate in the celebration of Sukkot, according to the sermon and the biblical text? ([43:07])
What are some of the rhythms or practices mentioned in the sermon that help us remember God’s faithfulness? ([40:22])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God wanted the Israelites to leave their sturdy homes and live in fragile huts for a week each year? What lesson was this meant to teach them about security and dependence? ([34:41])
The sermon says, “Gratitude is not a mood. It’s not an emotion. It’s obedience.” How does treating gratitude as a command rather than a feeling change the way someone might approach difficult circumstances? ([42:25])
The invitation to Sukkot included not just family, but also servants, strangers, orphans, and widows. What does this reveal about God’s heart for community and inclusion? ([43:07])
The sermon connects the fragile booths of Sukkot to Jesus “tabernacling” among us. How does this deepen our understanding of God’s presence and care in our lives? ([46:21])

Application Questions

The sermon described how the Israelites’ fragile booths reminded them that their security was in God, not in their own strength or resources. Is there an area of your life where you are relying on your own “sturdy house” instead of God’s shelter? What would it look like to trust God more in that area? ([34:41])
The pastor mentioned the importance of rhythms—like journaling, sharing testimonies, or celebrating communion—to help us remember God’s faithfulness. What is one practical rhythm you could start (or restart) this week to remember God’s provision? ([48:25])
“Gratitude is obedience, not just a feeling.” Think of a current situation in your life that is less than ideal. What would it look like to practice gratitude as an act of obedience in that situation? ([42:25])
Sukkot was a communal celebration that included the marginalized and the stranger. Who in your life or community might be feeling left out or overlooked? What is one specific way you could invite them into your circle or share God’s blessing with them this week? ([45:43])
The sermon asked, “Who’s the outcast in your hallway? Who’s the person that rarely gets spoken to around lunchtime who sits usually by themselves?” Can you think of someone like this in your daily life? What step could you take to reach out to them? ([50:17])
Jesus “tabernacled” among us, offering not just temporary shelter but eternal belonging. How does this truth affect the way you view your current struggles or uncertainties? ([47:47])
The pastor asked, “Where are you pitching your tent today?” In other words, where are you seeking shelter, joy, and hope? Is there a shift you feel called to make in where you find your security? ([51:37])

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