High and Holy, Near to the Lowly
Quiet light in a low place, a reminder that the High King delights to dwell with humble hearts.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace, Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
The God who spans eternity is not distant. He is holy, lifted high, and beyond the reach of time, yet He delights to settle down with the humble. That is the heart of today’s reading, and it is stunning. The One who fills heaven sets His affection on contrite hearts, not polished resumes. He meets us, not where we impress, but where we are honest and yielded.
Bob Hoekstra reminds us that the Lord’s greatness does not make Him unapproachable. It reveals how kind He is that He would choose to dwell with those who bow low. Holiness is not cold. Holiness draws near to heal, to revive, to make whole. The Lord does not crush a contrite heart. He renews it.
This changes how we carry ourselves. We do not have to climb a ladder to reach God. In Jesus, He has come near. He is not asking us to perform. He invites us to trust Him, to agree with His way, to receive His grace. When pride burns hot, grace runs low. When we take the lower place, grace flows like a fresh spring.
Friend, I am grateful for writers like Hoekstra who point us here, because this is where rest lives. The High King welcomes low hearts. Today is a good day to get small and to receive much.
Journal Entry, Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am the High and Holy One, and I am with you. I dwell in the heights, yet I delight to make My home with the humble and contrite. I revive what has grown tired. I lift what has sagged under the weight of shame. I do not despise a broken and honest heart.
I have joined you to Jesus. Your life is hidden with Him in Me. My Spirit lives in you. I am building you, together with My people, into a dwelling place for God. I give more grace. Pride shuts the door, humility opens it wide. Draw near to Me, resist the whisper of self-reliance, and you will find Me near.
Walk with Me. Learn My gentleness. Rest where I rest. I work in you to will and to do what pleases Me. I will steady your steps as you abide. When accusations rise, stand in the peace My Son secured. When anxieties crowd, cast them on Me, because I care for you. Look to Me, not to your performance. I am present. I am enough. I revive the lowly heart.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of the brightness slider on a phone screen. When the glare is harsh, details disappear. Slide the brightness down, details return. Humility is like that quiet adjustment. You are not creating the picture. You are letting what is already there become clear. In the same way, when you take the low place, the indwelling Spirit of Jesus brings His clarity to your thoughts, His warmth to your words, His calm to your choices.
A simple practice for today. If a tense conversation begins to heat up at work or at home, do not power through in your own resolve. Turn inward to the Lord who lives in you and say, Lord, I trust You to express Your gentleness and truth through me in this moment. Then answer slowly, honestly, and without the need to win. Let Jesus carry the tone and the timing through you.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for choosing to dwell with the humble. In Jesus, You have made Your home in me. Thank You for union with Your Son and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. I receive Your grace for this day. I gladly take the lower place and rest in what Jesus has finished. Thank You that You revive low hearts, You steady wandering thoughts, and You lead me in quiet strength. I yield to You with joy.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Isaiah 57:15; James 4:6 to 10; Psalm 51:17; Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 66:1 to 2; 1 Kings 8:27; Matthew 11:28 to 30; John 14:17; John 14:23; John 15:4 to 5; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4, 11; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 2:22; Colossians 3:3 to 4; 1 Peter 5:5 to 7; Micah 6:8; Luke 18:13 to 14; Psalm 97:9; Exodus 15:11.