One doesn't mean the other.
As Isaiah closes, the Lord speaks strong words. He clearly distinguishes between those who worship Him and those who reject Him. There is a promise for the humble who trust Him, and there is judgment for those who refuse Him.
Isaiah writes: "For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the Lord. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word." Isaiah 66:2
When we read the words "poor" and "contrite," our first thought may be, That's not where I want to be. We naturally see those words from a human perspective. But God is showing us something from an eternal one.
To be "poor" and "contrite" here is not to be without value or blessing. It is to recognize our complete dependence upon God. It is to walk in humility rather than pride. It is to recognize who we are before a holy and righteous God.
And then Isaiah adds something even more revealing: "who trembles at My word."
Do we?
To tremble at God's Word is to take Him seriously. It is to recognize that His Word is not something we reshape to fit our desires. It's something that shapes us. We come before Him humbly, willing for His Word to correct us, change us, and lead us.
God's provision does not mean He has promised us everything we want. Being poor and contrite before Him means we have something far greater: we have Him.
Remaining in Christ through affliction, difficulty, correction, and uncertainty is not a life of loss. It is a life of dependence. Dependence upon God is where true life is found.
As Isaiah closes, the Lord reminds us that He is not impressed by what we can build, accomplish, or offer Him. He is looking for the heart that humbly receives Him and trembles at His Word.
May we be people who have stopped trusting in ourselves, stopped measuring God's goodness by our circumstances, and learned to find our fullness in Christ alone.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.