Where God Looks (Isaiah 66:1-5)

Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

Thus says the Lord:

“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
    and what is the place of my rest?
All these things my hand has made,
    and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
    he who is humble and contrite in spirit 
    and trembles at my word. (vv.1-2)

As humans, we tend to be impressed by great buildings and monuments to our accomplishments. Here, God says that even the greatest building (the Temple) cannot compare to what he has made in the act of creation. Anything we have built is ultimately dependent upon what God has done anyway. The encouraging part is in verse 2 when God reveals what captures his attention and what brings him near.

But this is the one to whom I will look:
    he who is humble and contrite in spirit
    and trembles at my word.

God is paradoxically drawn to those who are “humble and contrite in spirit” for life in God’s love is not about our impressing him with our "great" accomplishments but about our humble yet eager response to his presence with us. Do we tremble at his word? Are we quick to respond, or are we like those who reject both God’s word and God’s people?

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who hate you
    and cast you out for my name's sake
have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,
    that we may see your joy’;
    but it is they who shall be put to shame. (v.5)

While in this life, the humble may be rejected and mocked by influencers and instructors, they will not be rejected nor distanced from the Lord, and in the end, the Lord will render to the mockers and trolls their recompense (v.6) while the humble will be filled with joy!

This passage reminds me of an incident from the ministry of Jesus that is recorded for us in John 9. It tells us about the fallout from a miracle...of a time when Jesus healed a man who had been born blind. After the healing, because its timing violated the Pharisees' interpretation of the sabbath rules, the man was repeatedly questioned by the Pharisees. Finally, they "cast him out" when his insightful responses hit too close to home. Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. Jesus heard about it and went to find the formerly blind man who had been banished by the religious leaders. It was then that the man’s eyes were opened to believe in Jesus—he was able to see spiritually as well as physically! It is in the hard times that Jesus invites us to believe in him, to trust him enough to cast our cares/anxieties on him, and he will exalt us as he draws us close!

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Today, as I humble my heart before the Lord, I will remember that he is near and that he is for me. He sees my situation; he loves me anyway. He does not require or desire sacrifices but only a humble heart that longs to obey. When I read the Bible today, I will lean into the tremble, the challenge, and the wonder of what God has said!

O Lord, you know my weaknesses and my failures, and yet as I am humble before your presence and your word, you look to me like I am a great building. You do not come to me because I am sanctified and lifted up, but the opposite. You sanctify me and lift me up because you have come near, because you have brought it to pass. Thank you for your love and the transformation you bring! Cause me to care more for the humble and contrite in spirit than for the supposedly great works of human pride. 

The Big Picture (Part 1) — Learning From Joseph

As Pastors and leaders, we often experience setbacks, stress, and suffering in a way that can be hazardous to our well-being and that of those around us. There are times when we experience betrayal and false accusations, and may be subject to the court of public opinion without an opportunity to defend ourselves. I am not even talking about the huge train wrecks of moral failure, but of the smaller issues where our motivation is questioned or our effectiveness is criticized. Those times when our allies turn on us unexpectedly or forget about our valuable input into the process. Sometimes we launch out in faith that God has called us, but we don't see immediate results or perhaps feel like we have been sidelined unjustly. If you can relate to any of this, then I hope that this series of three posts based on the story of Joseph will serve as encouraging reminders of God's presence during trial and of his continued ministry call on our lives.

We all have our stories of brokenness and hurt…for no one is immune to the bruising experience of life in a fallen world. Some people’s pain may be more acute—stabbing, searing in a moment of tragedy. While others hurts may experience more chronic suffering over the years and even decades. Why do we evaluate the pain of others in the same way that we consider our own sin and failure? We tend to amplify our own pain while minimizing that of another. At the same time, we minimize our own sin while that of others is often perceived to be more severe. When we are hurting, physically or emotionally, our pain can seem like it is the center of the universe. 

But it isn’t.

Yet, it is not wasted, not a bit of it, if we are surrendered to Christ, the one whose suffering was, in fact, the center, the crux, of the universe! Do we see the big picture of sharing in the suffering of Christ, or are we mired in the dark pit of our own limited view? Has our short-sightedness caused us to become angry, frustrated, or bitter? I hope not.

Years ago, my son was a medic in the Army National Guard, and at times chafed at the extremely mundane assignments performed during monthly drill weekends. However, when his unit stepped up their training in preparation for their deployment, that all changed. After returning from some intense brigade-level training, my son had a different attitude and said that he had finally gotten to see “the big picture.” He saw how all the mundane tasks, if not done with diligence, can have tragic consequences on the battlefield. 

The Bible story that perhaps best illustrates this concept is the story of Joseph found in Genesis 37-47. His birth is described in Gen. 30:22-24, but the story really gets going in Gen. 37.

Joseph was Jacob's first son by his wife Rachel, who had waited many years to have a child.  She named the child Joseph for two reasons: (1) The name Joseph is connected linguistically to his mother’s testimony, "God has taken away my disgrace," and (2) the name itself is a prayer of faith to God ("may the Lord add" to her another son).  Joseph was certainly a man who would never be one to bring disgrace, but instead, by his integrity and simple faith, he worked to remove it…even in the lives of those who meant him ill.   

Joseph grew up with the love of his father but not that of his brothers. They were alienated from him by their jealousy and their father’s show of favoritism. They blamed Joseph for their disgrace instead of taking responsibility for their failures. The Scripture says that they "could not speak a kind word to him" (37:4).  Literally, they would not speak a "peaceable" word, referring to the common Middle Eastern greeting, "Peace be with you."  They snubbed him at every opportunity.  You can read about what happened as the old story of Cain & Abel (Gen. 4) reverberates in the life of Joseph. Here is a brief outline of Joseph’s story:

1. God used Joseph as a youth to reveal God’s plan for his family (Gen. 37)
2. God used Joseph as a slave in Potiphar's house (Gen. 39:1-20)
3. God used Joseph as a prisoner serving other prisoners (Gen. 39:21 - 40:23)
4. God used Joseph as a prophet to interpret Pharaoh's dreams (Gen. 41:1-36)
5. God used Joseph (raising him to power) to save Egypt, and his family (Gen. 41:37-56)
6. God used Joseph as a judge to test his brothers (Gen. 42-44) 
7. God used Joseph as a peacemaker to reconcile his family. (Gen. 45-47) 

Why is the life of Joseph so important to us today? It asks and answers questions about our purpose in God’s plan for our families, nations, and the world. Joseph experienced a lot of pain—relational, physical, cultural, and perhaps even racial bigotry. Yet there was a larger purpose behind all he suffered. He was hated by his brothers, betrayed, sold as a slave a couple of times, sexually harassed, falsely accused, and imprisoned, and finally forgotten by one who should have quickly shown gratitude. This happened over many years before God suddenly raised him up as one prepared for the moment of crisis. Not that betrayal, estrangement, slavery, and the dungeon are good (they’re not!), but that God took what was intended for evil and used it for good. God was with him every step along the way. He was not separated from, or a stranger to, Joseph’s suffering. One thing we don’t see Joseph doing is questioning God’s presence or complaining about God. Do we have an attitude and a work ethic that God can bless no matter what our circumstances are? Can God give us favor with those in authority over us without violating his own character?

Are we using what has been intended for evil against us for the good of God’s people? I am convinced that God wants to do just that.

My next post will elaborate on some of the “big picture” lessons I am learning and the hard questions I am asking myself in response to the example of God’s working in Joseph’s life. Join me on the journey!

[This was originally posted on my Cultural Engagement blog when I was still a doctoral student.]