I’ll use Psalms 145:1-3, 31:1-4 for Temple worship today.

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Isaiah 57. Verse 15 is one of my favorite looks into the heart of God. And I would not go into the insights found in the verses where the Mind of the Spirit stirred up the thought of the spirit of my mind, without verse 15. Take a look at verses 16-19:

Isaiah 57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Isaiah 57:17 ¶ For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

Isaiah 57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

Isaiah 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

God responds to honesty, humility, and holiness. Remember, He created man in His likeness, and He looks for that likeness in man. God is honest, humble, and holy.

God is “a God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4; see John 14:6 with 1:1, 14). God is Holy  (Psalm 99:9; Leviticus 11:44; see 1 Peter 1:16). But it appears He values humility above all else (Philippians 2:5-11; see Luke 9:23; consider James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 with Proverbs 3:34).

The honest man will see the truth about himself in the truth he receives concerning God, in Creation, and in the Cross. No one making an honest assessment of himself and his Creator can fail to be deeply humbled.

All who are truly humbled by the witness of Creation to the power of God, and of the testimony of the Cross to the love of God, will be constrained to holiness by the fear His Majesty inspires, and the love His sacrifice evokes (2 Corinthians 7:1; 5:14). So the Spirit exhorts us to fear God and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 5:29; see Ecclesiastes 12:13; Numbers 15:40), and Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He commanded us to “be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7; see 1 Peter 1:15-16).

We are, therefore, not surprised that He Who is the “high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,” and “whose name is Holy,” and dwells in the “high and holy place,” is drawn to condescend to “him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15—I think the word “also” speaks to God seeing His likeness in the humble). Glory! He brings revival with Him: “to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).

Now consider verses 16-19. He Who dwells in the high, holy place of His third Heaven (Revelation 4-5), Who ponders the hearts of men (Proverbs 24:12), considers the frailty of fallen man, and takes pity (Isaiah 57:16), lest the “spirit should fail before me” (See Matthew 26:41, 45).*

He looked on our sin and said, “For the iniquity of his coveteousness was I wroth,” and He observed that we “went on frowardly in the way of [our] heart” (Isaiah 57:17; see Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19). Then He said something that is surprising, unless it is taken with verse 15: “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him” (Isaiah 57:18). Oh what love divine! He sees us as we are, and spying some remnant, some residue of the original image stirred by His grace to emit a flicker, He responds with healing, leading, and restoration.

But the greatest shock of all electrified my soul when I read: “I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him” (Isaiah 57:19).

Along the still waters, I thought: that He would extend His grace to those near is grace enough (James 4:8). But He kept His eye on those “far off”: “Peace,” said He, “peace to him that is far off”? “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).

Psalms 138:6 ¶ Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

He sets the proud from Him, “far off,” but “knoweth” them still. Though they be as far from God as Heaven is from Earth, He kept an eye upon them, though we were so far removed from Abraham, and though he “be ignorant of us” and “Jacob know us not” (Iaiah 63:16), indeed, when we were “alienated and enemies in [our] mind by wicked works” (Colossians 1:21), yet He kept a steady eye upon us, and sent His Spirit to find His “other sheep” (John 10:16), “which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:10).

Twice, He said, “I will heal him.” And twice I prayed, “Heal me.”

In the valley, in the shadow of His Cross, where “Christ the mighty Maker died for man the creature’s sin,” and heard Him call: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I presented this body a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1-2), took up my cross, and followed Him to His table.

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed as we headed into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7axgsm-shepherds-pasture.html

[*The word fail includes the ideas of languishing, being overwhelmed, but also of withdrawing or hiding from Him. He does not want to drive us away.]