by Kathy Weyrens, ISP Chicago
I awakened one morning in March with a scripture verse on my mind: “To this one I will look, the one who is humble and contrite and trembles at My word,” from Isaiah 66:2. The Lord is describing the kind of person who attracts His attention, upon whom His gaze settles. In the previous verse, He asks, “What is the place of my rest?” He answers his own question; He chooses to rest in humble, contrite hearts that reverence His word. As I looked at other translations of this verse, Young’s Literal Translation stood out. It says, “Unto this one I look attentively, unto the humble and bruised in spirit, and who is trembling at My word.”
Why would God focus His attention on one who is bruised? Doesn’t He want people who have it together, who are strong and can set a good example? Apparently not. He seems to be attracted to ones who are broken and bruised, ones who many people might ignore for a variety of reasons. I cannot fathom God’s heart, but He does seem to have a bias toward the poor and broken. In fact, Jesus opens one of his most famous messages with the words, “Blessed are the poor.” His attraction to the poor and bruised and broken gives me hope that, as I own my brokenness, He offers me his compassionate, focused attention.
Reflection Questions: When have you seen God’s attention to the bruised and broken of your world? More importantly, when have you felt God’s care for you in your own brokenness? How do you find the experience of Easter hope in this attention from God?
Kathy recently moved to the Chicago area from Kansas after retiring from her career as a psychiatrist. She now volunteers with the Chicago ISP women’s team.