The Space In-Between

This first year at RB Community is a time of transition. Right now, I have two "homes". I live in an apartment in Poway during the weekdays so I can be close to the church, and then on Thursdays, I drive home to Orange County, where my wife and son reside; a.k.a. "home." An unexpected struggle is that I have to make an effort to keep track of my personal belongings, such as clothes. For example, I realize too late that I left all of my warm jackets in Poway, but my sneakers are in Orange County. In this transition period, living between two "homes" makes me look forward to the day (hopefully early summer) that we have a permanent home in San Diego. Transitions like this disrupt our sense of normal and create stress even in good changes. (This is why many of us come home from a vacation and feel like we need a vacation from our vacation.) We are always in some transition, whether it's career, housing, or life stages. At Fuller Seminary, the word they like to use for moments of unsettledness—where something is ending and another new stage is about to begin—is liminality. This is a good word for that awkward discomfort of change you may be experiencing. If this is you, there are two truths you ought to know. First, liminal periods are often used by God to give us insight and do inner work in us. In other words, it is through disruptions that we are shaken loose from the status quo, and our antennas go up to the Holy Spirit. Ask yourself, "What is God doing? What am I supposed to learn here? Who is God calling me to serve?" If we lean into this awkward space, we might just see God's hand leading us to growth. Consider Moses, who went from a prince of Egypt to a shepherd. During that liminal space, his true calling came in the burning bush. Instead of hurriedly jumping into the new beginning, pause and see what God is saying to you. Second, liminal periods remind us that this world is not our permanent home. Our entire life here matters, and yet, like my Poway apartment, this world is not our permanent home. I will probably not hang twenty family photos on the wall or repaint the bedroom. It's temporary. God planted us here to love, serve, and be faithful to Him while we await what is lasting. Philippians 3:20 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." We look forward to being with Jesus, who awaits us. He is our home. When you feel drained or tired from this world, remember that God's people are in a liminal period awaiting a permanent home with our Savior. In Revelation 21, there is no need for sun or lamp because God's glory and Jesus are its light! Take a breath. This is a liminal period. God is in control and preparing a home for us. For now, take it all in and see what the Holy Spirit is doing in you and around you. When you feel awkward, smile and remember that it is part of this journey. Remember your socks, though. Your Servant in Christ, Pastor Jason