Rediscovering God’s great gift of a place to be …

We hear often about how God has designed us to live “in community” with others, but a great gift from God related to that topic is something we rarely give any consideration or gratification to — that is a place to be.

Instead, it’s easier to see the problem of loneliness so many people experience, but we give little acknowledgement to the great need of having a place to be.

It’s true that many Americans are suffering from loneliness. Maybe you’ve heard of the story about how every week a sweet little old lady waited in line at the post office to buy two stamps. One day, as she got to the counter, the postal worker told her, “You know, you don’t have to wait in line to buys stamps. You can get them from the machine over there in books of twenty.” The little old lady responded, “Yes, but the machine doesn’t ask about my arthritis.”

From the very beginning, God Himself took note that loneliness would be a negative plight on humanity …

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.’” Genesis 2:18.

Pastor Scott Bayles echoed our need to be in relationships with others when he stepped forward to preach a sermon at a “church in the park” gathering in Modesto, California in 2012 …

Everyone needs a place to belong. A place that fits you like a favorite pair of jeans, that’s as welcoming as your much-loved and much-worn recliner at home. That’s the way we’re made. Not to be isolated. Not to be alone. But to be together — experiencing life with others.

And yet, Vance Packard calls America “a nation of strangers” and studies show that 4 out of 10 people experience feelings of intense loneliness. Our American culture produces people who more closely identify with characters on a weekly TV series than with their next-door neighbors. Everywhere you look, there are signs that people are hungering for fellowship, community, and a sense of family.

If you ever feel disconnected from others, you’re not alone in feeling that way! A new study finds many Americans are lonely, and younger adults appear to be the hardest hit. In fact, the study, as reported by CBS News, reveals loneliness in America has reached epidemic proportions …

The study, published by the global health service company Cigna, found that 46 percent of U.S. adults report sometimes or always feeling lonely and 47 percent report feeling left out. Cigna calls those “epidemic levels.”

What’s more, only around half of Americans say they have meaningful in-person social interactions on a daily basis, such as having an extended conversation with a friend or spending time with family members …

… Previous research has shown that loneliness is connected to a number of health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, and depression. It may play a role in substance abuse and can diminish overall quality of life. Some studies have even found that loneliness and social isolation may lead to an early death.

Surprisingly, the study found loneliness affects younger Americans more than the elderly.

Generation Z, or those between the ages of 18 and 22, were the loneliest generation, with a “loneliness score” of 48.3. Possible loneliness scores range from 20 to 80, with the national average a 44.

Millennials (ages 23 to 37) were close behind with a score of 45.3, followed by Generation X (ages 38 to 51) with a loneliness score of 45.1 The so-called Greatest Generation, those age 72 or over, ranked as the least lonely, with a score of 38.6 …

… The report also found that Americans who live with others are less likely to be lonely than those who live alone. However, this does not hold up for single parents or guardians, who report higher scores of loneliness than adults who live alone.

Of all people, the homeless best understand that we not only have a need to be in relationship with others, but we also have a great need for a place to be, which is something they don’t have. When you don’t have a place to be, loneliness is intensified because a place to be serves as a base for an opportunity to connect with other people. What we often overlook in our survey of scripture is that God has always provided for His creation a place to be so that we have a base from which to connect with others. Look briefly at some of the ways God has provided a place to be …

A perfect garden – It wouldn’t have been enough to simply provide Adam with a “helper who is just right for him,” they also needed a place for that relationship to flourish. So God provided them with a place to be …

“Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made,” Genesis 2:8.

A nation – As an example to all peoples, God even gave us an example of a nation as a place to be …

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation. This is the message you must give to the people of Israel,” Exodus 19:5-6.

Adoption into His own family – God used all of human history to enact His mission of reconciling us to Himself, and in so doing, He gave us a place to be – within His own family!

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12.

“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit,” Ephesians 2:19-22.

An eternal place to be – Our having a place to be is important enough to God that He has provided for us to have an eternal place to be!

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am,” John 14:1-3.

MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE A PLACE TO BE
God wants us to share in His concern for making sure that people have a place to be. For example, we see this in the Old Testament …

“If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and cannot support himself, support him as you would a foreigner or a temporary resident and allow him to live with you. Do not charge interest or make a profit at his expense. Instead, show your fear of God by letting him live with you as your relative,” Leviticus 25:35-36.

“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help,” Isaiah 58:7.

… and in the New Testament …

“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home,” Matthew 25:35.

We see this need for hospitality extending to bringing people into our homes as a qualification for church leadership …

“This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.’ So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach,” 1 Timothy 3:1-2.

“A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life,” Titus 1:7-8.

… and we’re encouraged to practice a hospitality that offers people a place to be …

“Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay,” 1 Peter 4:9.

God doesn’t want us to be lonely, nor does He want us to lack a place to be. Coming together for relationship, and making sure that everyone has a place to be so that we can build relationships and flourish in them, is part of following in the footsteps of Jesus as His disciples.

If you have a place to be, have you considered how great a blessing that is, and do you give God thanks for it? As a disciple of Jesus, do you practice hospitality that includes extending to others a place to be?

Scotty