How do we get to heights with God?
“I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.
Isaiah 57:15
Some trust in their approaches to gods through going to spiritual places and performing spiritual exercises, the Lord says that the ones he is looking for are those who fall before him.
In order to go up to him, we must go down before him!
In Jesus’ story of the pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18, the pharisee was confident before God because of his spiritual exercises. The Tax Collector, whose standing in society would be like today’s loan shark, humbled himself before God. It was the tax collector whom Jesus says was made right with God.
Do we trust in our spiritual exercises and developing righteousness to reach the Lord, or do we humble ourselves, and give ourselves to him – maybe through spiritual exercises?
God says, “Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.”
Isaiah 57:16
The road to God from captivity is littered with obstacles –things we worship that are not God. In v6 Isaiah had mocked people who worshiped stones. Now, these objects of worship must be cleared from our lives so we can return to the Lord.
The problem with our idols is that we are attached to them. It requires humility to admit they even exist before we can take that step to remove them.