He Stoops To Lift The Lowly
The High and Holy One stoops near, and the low place becomes a dwelling place of grace.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace, Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
The heart of today’s reading rests on a beautiful contrast. God is enthroned above the nations, His glory stretches beyond the heavens, yet He willingly leans down to notice those sitting in the dust. Bob Hoekstra highlights this wonder with a pastor’s tenderness. The One who dwells on high does not overlook the humble and the contrite. He draws near, He revives, He raises, and He heals.
We are reminded that our Lord is not searching for the loud or the proud. He attends to the poor in spirit, to those who tremble at His word. When the world prizes self-assertion, He prizes soft hearts that make room for Him. The Most High is not distant. He steps into our low places with compassion and purpose.
This is not about earning His attention. It is about receiving His mercy. He lifts the needy out of the ash heap, not because they climbed out, but because He is kind. The psalmist says He revives us in the midst of trouble. Isaiah says He dwells with the contrite to restore. That is the Father’s posture toward us in Jesus.
Here is our hope as new creations in Him. Jesus, who is our life, indwells us. The Spirit makes these promises personal. As we yield, He expresses the life of the risen Lord within ordinary days. We can rest secure. The High and Holy One is with the lowly, and He is enough.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am with you in the high places and in the low. I dwell in the high and holy place, and I dwell with the one who is humble and contrite, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I am near to the brokenhearted, and I save those who are crushed in spirit. I bind up the wounds you carry. I look to the one who is poor and contrite in spirit, who receives My word with reverence.
You are not abandoned to the dust. I lift the poor from the ashes, and I seat them in places they could not reach by themselves. I am not far off. Though I am exalted above the nations and My glory rises above the heavens, I regard the lowly. I see you, and I raise you.
Remember who you are in My Son. You were crucified with Jesus, and you live by His life. Your old man was addressed at the cross, and now you walk in newness of life. Christ in you is the hope of glory. My Spirit dwells in you, and because of Jesus you belong to Me. As you present your whole self to Me, I work in you both to will and to do for My good pleasure. I give grace to the humble. In due time, I lift up those who trust Me.
So come under My hand with quiet confidence. Yield your moments to Me. I am faithful to revive, to steady, and to lead. I delight to dwell with you.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a kitchen floor after a busy meal. Crumbs gather in the corners. The mess sits there until someone stoops, gets close, and sweeps it up. From a distance the mess remains. Up close, the whole room changes. In the same way, the Holy Spirit does not shout from the doorway of your life. He indwells you, He stoops to your level, and He brings Jesus’ life right into the corners where discouragement and weariness collect. This is not you trying harder with a checklist. This is the Lord within taking the broom, guiding your steps, and renewing the space from the inside out.
A sure way to practice this today could be during a moment that usually leaves you discouraged, like a difficult email or a quiet wave of sadness. Instead of pressing yourself to perform, turn inward to the Lord who lives in you and say, Lord, I entrust this moment to You. Express Your life through me in this reply, in this thought, and in this next step. Then answer the email with honesty and grace, or sit with the sadness while He steadies you, confident that He is the One lifting you from the ash heap as you yield.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that You are high above the nations, yet You draw near to the lowly. Thank You that in Jesus I am not left in the dust. You have made me new, and Your Spirit lives in me. I receive Your nearness, Your reviving, and Your lifting mercy. I agree with You about who I am in Your Son. I present myself to You today with a quiet heart, trusting that Your grace is sufficient for every moment. Thank You for dwelling with me, for healing what is broken, and for expressing the life of Jesus through me.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section:
Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 147:3; Isaiah 66:2; Psalm 113:4 to 7; Psalm 138:6 to 7; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4 to 11; Colossians 1:27; Romans 8:9 to 10; Philippians 2:13; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:6