From an emotional standpoint, this has been a tough week of devotions! Creation is groaning, our own hearts are longing, the Psalmist laments, and Jesus weeps. But, as with every Friday, we don't end the week with despair but with praise.

In Psalm 113 we once again lift our eyes to the heavens while in the midst of our trial. One of the beautiful gifts of the Gospel is it allows us to look to the Father without pretending our pain isn't real; that the "dust" isn't real. It just helps us to rely on a Sovereign God who reigns above it all to stoop down into the heavens and the earth and to raise the poor in deed and in spirit up to a place of heavenly nobility. His amazing glory is again revealed in His willingness to draw near to the lowly.

An aching heart that longs for what is broken to be mended can leave us weary and undone. Today passage reminds us God is not embarrassed or bothered by our need. The King of Glory sees the lowly of heart. He is the sort of King who exalts the lowly restores the broken and fills the empty. The ache of the ages is answered by the very nature and character of God Himself, the High and Lofty One who is still attentive to us below.

In this passage we see an amazing blend of God's exalted name and His compassionate action. The two cannot be separated. He does in fact rule over all, but He is also Good and Merciful. Our prayers and longings don't just rise into the nothingness of heaven, they are received by a God who sees, knows, remembers, and acts.

In a world full of longing and sorrow, worship is the right response, not because the pain isn't real, but because God is worth.

Everyone has some reason to feel sorrow, longing, or grief. How has this week's devotions helped you understand God's nature and character as we wait for the restoration of all things?

Father, I praise you because you are holy and worthy of that praise. You are full of mercy for the weak, the needy, and the brokenhearted. Thank you for meeting us in our aching hearts and reminding us our grief isn't wasted in your hands. Steady my soul in hope and help me trust your restoring love. Amen.