A Crushed Spirit

A Crushed Spirit

“For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a crushed and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to make alive the hearts of those who are crushed.” Isa. 57:15.

God dwells with those who have a crushed and humble spirit. It stands to reason that those who are interested in having God dwell in their hearts are also interested in what it means to have a crushed spirit. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21. “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.’” V. 23.

Here the Scriptures repeat that both the Father and the Son will dwell in the hearts that love God and keep His commandments, and that They will only make their home in those who love God and Jesus and keep Their commandments.

Everything is hopelessly closed to the one who says that it is bondage to keep God’s commandments, and to the person who says that only Jesus could overcome sin because it is impossible to keep God’s commandments.

However, we see on the basis of the Scriptures that God opens a way for whosoever wills, and that both Jesus and the Father will make Their home in them. Here there is a future and a hope, dear friends!

Was there anyone in the old covenant who had a crushed spirit? We notice David after Shimei had cursed and reviled him. 2 Sam. 16:5-13. When one of his mighty men asked David for permission to take off Shimei’s head, David answered, “So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” Here David is on God’s side against himself, saying, “It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” V. 12. In his heart, he knew what God’s will was, and he bowed in the dust. By this we know that he was crushed in his spirit so that he was completely on God’s side, against himself.

Let us see how Jesus acted. John 18:10-11. Peter was like Abishai in former days; he drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. But then Jesus said something that all of us ought to take to heart: “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” He was crushed, He did not resist God; He drank the cup until it was empty. It pleased the Lord to crush Him. Isa. 53:10.

How do you react, dear brother and sister? Do you avenge yourself, or are you crushed? Use the time! Time is our life! But use it in the right way! “God has chosen . . . the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.” 1 Cor. 1:28.