November 4

Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim, — 2 Sam 2:8 BSB

No one can reach heaven unless they journey towards it on the path God has set for His people. It’s a mistake to think we are on our way to heaven unless we’ve experienced some divine teaching in our soul. If we’ve been divinely taught, we know what it is to be poor and needy. We know what it feels like to be brought low. But many misunderstand the way to heaven. The common belief is that we can set up a ladder from earth to heaven, climbing one rung at a time until we reach God’s dwelling place. But that’s not how it works for God’s people. Their path leads downward before they are raised up. It’s not an upward climb to the battlements of heaven. Every step upward in self-reliance is actually a step downward, but every step downward into the depths of our poverty, misery, soul-trouble, and broken-heartedness is truly a step upward in Christ.

Until we hit rock bottom, there is no promise. “He raises up the poor from the dust.” How does He do it? In a moment. The Lord doesn’t lift His people step by step as they went down. Instead, with one smile, He reaches right down into the deepest part of their hearts and lifts them up from the dust into His very presence. They may have spent years going down, but in a single moment, He raises them up. With just a word or a smile, the God of all grace lifts them out of their lowest depths and sets them among princes, making them inherit the throne of glory.