For this is what the high and exalted One says– he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15 NIV
When I stop to consider the power and the majesty of God, I easily picture Him sitting on this incredibly beautiful throne with gold, crystal and valuable gems all around! I can picture the rainbow encircling the throne as described in Revelation 4. But what draws me to God even more than His majesty is the depth of His love. He chooses to dwell with you and I. In all of our struggles, our brokenness and our pain, God is with us!
The Hebrew word dakka’, translated as contrite in this verse actually means very much crushed, broken in spirit, cast down. Ever been there? I know I have! Life can be very hard and there are times when we feel crushed under the weight of it; our hearts are breaking and we just can’t seem to get it together. The loss of a loved one…an unwanted diagnosis and the treatments that follow…a broken relationship…the struggle of addiction…an unexpected tragedy…the list goes on and on. It hurts, the pain is real. We’re cast down and we’re not sure how we’ll ever get back up again. Where is God when all this is happening? He is right there with you! He is there to revive your spirit and heal your broken heart!
Call out to Him and He will answer, pray and He will listen, draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. He will bring you comfort and restore your ability to keep moving forward. Be encouraged, His love for you goes deeper than you could ever imagine!
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 NIV