For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
– Isaiah 57:15
Is that not an awesome verse? “Thus says the One,” capital O one, it says in Isaiah 57:15, “who is high and lifted up. He inhabits eternity.” What a phrase. “The One who inhabits, lives in eternity, whose name is Holy,” with a capital H. Holy, that’s his name. Incomparable, incomprehensible, perfect, without error, and without equal. This is what he says, “I dwell in the high and holy place.”
Isaiah 57:15 teaches us God is exalted above all.
I often, as I’m praying, just look to the sky. Not that I’m praying to the sky or to the clouds, but just this picture of God exalted above all, above everything.
He dwells in a high and holy place. Actually, not just a high and holy place, but the high and holy place. There is no one who is higher or more holy than him. And then he says, “And I also dwell.” So he’s reigning high and holy above all, and I also dwell with him, her who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. Wow. For you and me to have the privilege, honor, and joy… I am trying to think of what other words to even describe what it means to have the High Holy One who inhabits eternity dwelling, being with anyone who is contrite and lowly in spirit, who is humble before him.
I remember going to a game one time, a sporting event with my dad, and we were sitting up in the very top row of this massive stadium. They were likely the cheapest seats, but as we had climbed up there, we found our seat, somebody else was coming a little bit later, and I think it was a woman and her husband. And he was complaining about how many steps they’d had to walk, and he was like, “Can we get any closer to God?” And his wife looked at him and said, “Get on your knees.” It was a great line. The guy had no idea what to say next. But it’s true, it’s true. And obviously, it’s not just about physical posture, but we need to cultivate contrite and lowly spirits. We need to ask God to give us contrite and lowly spirits.
Isaiah 57:15 encourages us to cultivate humility.
And I would certainly encourage there to be regular times in any of our lives where we are on our knees and on our faces for when we are low the God who is on high is with us, and not just when we are bowing low, but to live with a contrite and lowly spirit, and to know that as you do, the God who is on high, who is holy above all is with you to revive you, verse 15 says.
So we pray, oh God, all glory, honor, majesty, wealth, power, wisdom, and might belong to you. You are the one who is high and lifted up. We exalt you as the one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy. We exalt you in your high and holy dwelling place over all things. And we pray in each of our lives for contrite, lowly spirits. God, help us to be low before you and others.
God, we pray that you would help us to grow in humility today, to realize and to confess our deep and total dependence on you and desperation for you, for anything, for anything good. You’re the Author of everything good. We have nothing good apart from you. We are totally dependent on you. So teach us to fear you, to live in awe of you. And with contrite, lowly humble spirits. God remove all pride from us before you and before others. And as you do, give us life, oh God. Revive our spirits and revive our hearts as we live lowly and contrite lives. Oh God, we praise you for coming to dwell with us, Jesus, for the manifestation of this, and for you humbling yourself, Philippians 2, becoming obedient to death on a cross for us so that we might know the joy of you dwelling with us.
Prayer for the Srigaud Brahmin People
All glory be to your name, Jesus. Help us. We pray to lead other people to you, to help other people grow in you, and to introduce you to people around us and people around the world. We pray today for the Srigaud Brahmin people, 120,000 of them in this Hindu people group in India. God, please, please, please cause the Srigaud Brahmin to be reached with the good news that the one true holy God has come to them, come to us for their salvation. Oh God, we pray that they would hear and believe the good news of Jesus, of the humble, contrite savior of the world. We pray all this according to your Word in Isaiah 57:15. In Jesus’ name, amen.