God Dwells With Us in the Space Between

Liminal spaces—the “space between” what was and what will be—receive careful attention. Life’s transitions, from job loss to relationship endings, create instability that the brain resists; neuroscience shows the conflict detector and fear center light up in ambiguity, pressing people to grab any nearby anchor. The Bible names exile for living outside the intended garden and frames Israel’s wilderness wandering as a long, raw liminal season where fear, nostalgia, and impatience produce poor fixes. Repeatedly, people choose the familiar relics of the past—golden calves, quick comfort, rebound attachments—because something solid seems better than nowhere.

Narratives from Exodus demonstrate how panic in the in-between leads to false gods and fractured community, and how attempts at shortcutting God’s timing bring deeper consequences. Yet the story refuses to let abandonment have the final word. God instructs a mobile tent—the tabernacle—so presence can dwell amid a camp of flawed people. When the cloud fills the tabernacle, presence no longer merely leads from afar; presence settles in the middle of disorientation. That pattern climaxes in the New Testament claim that the divine Word became flesh and “tabernacled” among humans, making intimacy with God the defining response to human exile.

The in-between therefore becomes the place of God’s most decisive action: not distant judgment but nearness and reconciliation. Where exile had seemed to mean separation, the tabernacle and the incarnation reveal a God who moves toward the disoriented and lonely. The ancient question—“Where are you?”—shifts from accusation into an invitation to name location honestly, to stop cycling through quick anchors, and to be met by a presence that will not abandon. Practical response centers on community and prayer: honest posture, shared presence, and simple acts of receiving become means by which people discover that the God on the journey is already walking toward them.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Liminal spaces shape human life Liminal seasons recur with predictable regularity and demand a different kind of attention than ordinary days. Recognizing transitions as normal reframes disorientation from anomaly to vocation: these thresholds shape character and call for steady waiting rather than frantic fixes. Naming the space between reduces shame and opens room for faithful next steps. [35:08]
• 2. Brains demand immediate solid anchors Ambiguity activates the brain’s alarm systems, pushing people to seize the first stabilizing thing available, whether healthy or destructive. That impulse explains why old habits, quick relationships, or imitation gods often win during transitions. Awareness of this tendency creates freedom to resist false anchors and choose more faithful, patient practices. [35:41]
• 3. God dwells within the between The tabernacle and ultimately the incarnation show that God chooses to live amid human confusion rather than from a safe distance. Presence comes not as reward for perfect behavior but as an offer into the middle of life’s mess. This reality reframes exile: God’s nearness meets failure and longing with reconciliation. [58:48]
• 4. Answer the question: Where are you? Honest location-taking defeats paralysis: saying where one stands—lost, afraid, relieved, or unsure—opens the possibility of healing. The question invites people to trade self-condemnation for clarity, to accept help, and to let community and grace orient the next steps. Naming one’s place invites the God who moves toward people to meet them there. [64:24]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:35] - Connection and next steps
• [29:45] - Masters, golf, and humor
• [31:13] - Don’t dwell on the past shot
• [32:08] - Defining the “space between”
• [35:41] - Brain science of liminality
• [44:12] - Exodus: slavery to wilderness
• [47:07] - Golden calf: panic and idols
• [58:48] - Tabernacle: God’s presence with people
• [62:13] - Incarnation: Word became flesh
• [64:24] - The question: “Where are you?”
• [67:06] - Invitation to prayer and response

Bible Reading
Exodus 32:1-6 (ESV)
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.”

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.

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Observation Questions

1. In Exodus 32:1-6, what did the Israelites ask Aaron to do when they felt abandoned, and how did he respond?
2. According to the sermon, why do people in “liminal spaces” (like transitions or uncertainty) often reach for “familiar relics” or false anchors? [35:41]
3. How does the tabernacle (Exodus 40) demonstrate God’s response to human failure and disorientation?
4. What does John 1:14 reveal about God’s presence in human struggles?

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the Israelites chose to worship a golden calf instead of waiting for Moses and God’s guidance? How does this mirror modern responses to uncertainty?
2. The sermon describes liminal spaces as places where “God’s nearness meets failure and longing with reconciliation.” How does the tabernacle (and later Jesus) embody this idea?
3. The brain’s reaction to ambiguity includes fear and a demand for certainty. How might this explain why people often repeat unhealthy patterns during transitions? [35:41]
4. Why is the question “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) both an invitation and a challenge for someone in a liminal season?

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Application Questions

1. What “golden calf” (false anchor) have you been tempted to cling to during a recent transition or uncertain season? How can you recognize and release it?
2. The sermon says, “Anything is better than nothing” in liminal spaces. What unhealthy habit, relationship, or distraction have you rushed toward to avoid feeling “nowhere”? [37:20]
3. How can you practice “honest location-taking” this week—naming where you truly are (e.g., lost, afraid, impatient) instead of hiding or pretending?
4. In what practical way can you lean into community (like prayer or shared presence) when disorientation strikes, instead of isolating? [52:19]
5. The incarnation shows God entering human messiness. How might trusting God’s nearness—not just His solutions—change how you approach your current “in-between”?
6. What small step (e.g., prayer, journaling, silence) could help you resist the brain’s demand for quick fixes and instead wait patiently in God’s presence?