Chapter-a-Day Isaiah 57

A Message from the high and towering God, who lives in Eternity, whose name is Holy:
"I live in the high and holy places, but also with the low-spirited, the spirit-crushed, And what I do is put new spirit in them, get them up and on their feet again." Isaiah 57:15-16 (MSG)

Incarnation is the word we use to describe the God of the universe inhabiting human form in the person of Jesus. It's a powerful truth. God becomes man. God lives as a man. God suffers as a man. God dies as a man. God descends into hell.

Much of the time I picture God and worship God as "high and towering." I worship the God of the universe who is greater than the universe and, therefore, a bit too big for my mind to fathom. God of the universe is awesome, but easily seems distant in light of my petty, miniscule problems. With the incarnation, God chooses to draw near to me. Jesus experienced life on Earth. Jesus experienced family. Jesus experience hunger. Jesus experienced powerful human emotions. Jesus experienced grief. Jesus experienced weariness. Jesus experienced betrayal. Jesus experienced rejection. Jesus experienced spirit crushing events.

God not only lives in the high and holy places, but chose to come near to lowly, low-spirited, spirit crushing human existence. Just like me. When I come to the God of the universe with my everyday struggles, he says "Dude, I've been there. I know."