This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being, declares the Lord. This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my Word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)
Have you ever wondered who God esteems the most? Who catches His attention the most? Who does He value? Who impresses GOD? God is saying in this verse in Isaiah. What can you do to impress Me? Look at my heavens and my earth. What can you build or do to get my attention? I will tell you. “ THIS IS THE ONE THAT I ESTEEM. He who is humble and contrite in spirit and that trembles at my Word”.
“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another BECAUSE ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’. Humble yourselves, therefore, under GOD’S MIGHTY HAND that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you”. (1 Peter 5:5-7)
Now, He doesn’t say Missionaries, Pastors, Leaders, Directors humble yourselves, but rather ALL OF YOU. Then He says BECAUSE of this principle. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Grace is the giving by God of whatever we need, to do the will of God. I like to say that, “it is God’s love and power in action.” How does He oppose the proud? Is He angry with us? Not love us anymore? No, but He cannot give us the grace that we need because of our pride and selfishness. When we allow pride to control us, we miss the grace and great provision of God for all our needs.
An interesting verse in Jonah 2:8 says, “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”