The Quill and Me—Devotional Blog•Oswald Chambers Reflections 

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I dwell... with him also that is of a 

contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble,

and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

Isaiah 57:15

July 21
Today's Reading: My Utmost for His Highest
Matthew 5:3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit . . ."

When the Soul Reaches Empty

Many believe Jesus was just a teacher. But what He taught were the secrets of the kingdom of the eternal God. 

Poor in spirit is spiritual poverty. He started the Sermon on the Mount with poverty of the spirit. Why? Because you cannot be any of the other things He taught about until you have reached the level of empty. Empty enough that you realise your need of Him. This is the narrow doorway. The end of self struggle when you look up to heaven and declare in your heart that you need God. 

Nothing else in the Christian life can happen until self is broken. 

Self will always resist God. But a broken self realizes its need of God. The narrow doorway into the kingdom of God is at hand when you bring nothing to Him but your broken self... seeking entry, knocking on His door... opening your heart to Him. 

Your strength is depleted, your coping has let you down, you do not think you can go any further on your own. You have reached the very end of yourself. You are at your lowest. Your pride is shattered. Your spirit is at an all-time low. You are emotionally spent. 

This is poverty of spirit.

Blessed are the poor in spirit... 

When you have nothing but your need left... no intellectual solution to your problems, no pride left, nothing standing between you and Jesus... this is the doorway to surrender and the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Prayer

Lord, I am at Your door knocking...

will You let me in? I have traveled far and wide,

seeking to fill this hole deep within.

I can find nothing that satisfies my soul.

I am depleted, I have nothing left to give.

I have only my brokenness to offer You.

I am at the end of my own self and realize my deep and abiding need for You, Lord.

You are what my soul is craving, only You can fill this longing in my life.

Only You, Lord, can cleanse me, heal me, and make me whole.

I come to You with a humbled and contrite heart asking that You have mercy on me.

Help me to partake of the river of grace.

Refresh my soul, renew my strength, restore my faith with Your faith. 

Take Your place on the throne of my life. 

Jesus take the wheel.

I give over my will and my life to Your authority. 

Thank you for your everlasting love and faithfulness. 

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah,

~ Quil 

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Scripture References

Matthew 5:3 — “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Isaiah 57:15 — “I dwell… with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly.”
Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 51:17 — “A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
Luke 18:13 — “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Isaiah 66:2 — “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit.”
James 4:6 — “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Psalm 40:17 — “I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.”
Psalm 25:9 — “He guides the humble in what is right.”
Proverbs 3:34 — “He gives grace to the humble.”

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