God Dwells With The Afflicted & Stricken

Today’s Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"Thus says the Lord, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word’"

Isaiah 66:1&3

In this passage our Father God does not seem to be as interested in having a house built for Him as much as He is interested in finding a person with whom He may dwell and rest. God particularly looks to those who are "humble and contrite of spirit." What does this mean? The Hebrew word for humble: “ani”, means; afflicted, humble, lowly, poor; while the word used for contrite: “nakeh”, means; smitten, contrite, stricken, crippled.

Our great God of love is not looking first to the richest or mightiest with whom to dwell. Our Heavenly Father’s heart goes out first to all who are "weary and heavy-laden" so that "I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28), just as Jesus declared. Certainly our Lord’s offer for salvation is available to all, but it is awesome to see that our Father God’s heart goes out first to those who are afflicted and who have been knocked down, crushed and stricken in life. Let God dwell with you today. Jesus Christ desires to enter every life, showing everyone that, for us, He Himself willingly became "stricken, smitten of God and afflicted" (Isaiah 53:4), so that we may have a new life, a true life, a whole life, an abundant life, in the Lord our God, Who has come to dwell and rest in us.

O thank your Lord of love today for the great gift of Himself, your Healer, Who became afflicted and stricken for you, so that you may find true healing and wholeness in Him. Thank God that He dwells in you even as you rest in Him. Drink deeply from His healing living waters. Hallelujah!