For thus says the high and lofty One—He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent [bruised with sorrow for sin]. – Isaiah 57:15, Amplified Bible (AMP)

None of us can think of anything more joyful, more peaceful, and more satisfying than living in Heaven in the presence of our Savior. There, where sin has no place nor power, life will be perfect, and the presence of God will fill our souls completely. But, when battered and beaten down by the drudgery, evil, and anxieties of life on Earth, it is hard to identify with life as it will be in eternity. Full fellowship with The Lord seems like the dream that escapes us as we awaken from sleep – blurry, fading, and out of reach.

It doesn’t have to be that way. As God (through Isaiah) reminds us, He does dwell in Heaven, the high and holy place. But, He also dwells with His children who are both penitent and humble, and as a reward for their penitence and humility, He revives their weary hearts and spirits when they are down and out.

If life has you beaten down, and if you feel as if God has abandoned you, conduct a self-examination. Are you penitent in God’s eyes, which means you are sorry for and repentant of your sins? Or, are you holding on to some sin in your life, the putridness of which is driving God away from fellowshipping with you? Are you humble in God’s eyes, which means you esteem others better than yourself? Or, do you think more highly of yourself than you do of others, causing God to actively resist you because of your pride?

If God is distant from you, it is probably because you are not penitent and humble in His eyes, even though you may be in your own. Look again, root out sin and pride in your life, and then God will gladly dwell with you and refresh you once more.

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