Thought for the Morning
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
What a contrast, The Creator of everything we know of, and don’t know of, is interested in you and I. Isaiah’s words reflect Gods disappointment with Israel and His desire for them to return to fellowship. But if we apply these words to ourselves, His eye is on us also. What does He want to see?
He wants to see a poor and contrite spirit. Poor in respect to us knowing that we come into this world with nothing. The material things we gather along the way will become of no importance with our passing. The relationships we form with family and friends will hopefully be remembered but they too will fade as the many, many years go by.
The illustration of a person who thinks they are of some importance is like water being stirred in a bucket. When the stirring stops the water will become calm again and the stirring will not be remembered any more.
But when God says “But on this one will I look”, He doesn’t take His eye away from us. His relationship with us is to be eternal, “He will never leave or forsake us” (Hebrews 13.7), He is also looking for the “contrite spirit”, a spirit within us that knows the sinfulness of our nature and is totally trusting in His work on the Cross. We come into this world poor but when we become a child of His we become heirs. (Galatians 4. 5). We become a child of the King!
Why are we to tremble at His word? His word reveals to us what our walk should be, and many times we find ourselves off the path. The Spirit of God uses the holy word to teach us, and instruct us. The Lord is merciful and gracious, but He also is a jealous God. (Ex 34.14). He is willing to draw near to us but we must be willing to draw near to Him. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”(James 4:8). We draw near to Him through His word and His word is to make us tremble with worship and adoration!
Isaiah 66.2 “… Says the Lord “But on this one will I look…”
What does He see when He looks upon us? Does He see a poor and contrite heart? Just a thought for the morning.
Carl