Imperfect Praise

Isaiah 53:2-3
Matthew 11:28-30
John 13:12-16
Philippians 2:5-8
Hebrews 2:14-18

For years, I stood in church services and wrestled with my conscience.

Am I singing lyrics I sincerely believe?
Are my motives sincere?

Oh, what grace I have discovered as I sought the Lord with these concerns!

In our songs as believers, we address three audiences: ourselves, others, and God.
Sometimes, we are reminding our own souls of Who God is. (Psalm 103:1-2)
Other times, we join in song with, and to, each other as we sing truth. (Ephesians 5:18-21)
Most importantly, we lift our spirits and songs directly to God in awestruck wonder. (Psalm 92:1-4)

Though we may not always “feel” the words, God takes our imperfect praise and uses it to reveal Himself to us.

As I considered the lyrics to Lower Still, my heart could barely contain my angst mixed with glorious praise.

“Look, He’s covered in dirt
The blood of His mother has mixed with the Earth
And she’s just a child who’s throbbing in pain
From the terror of birth by the light of a cave
Now they’ve laid that small baby
Where creatures come eat
Like a meal for the swine who have no clue that He
Is still holding together the world that they see
They don’t know just how low He has to go
Lower still” 

The sight of a young mother laying her newborn child in a feeding trough intended for the animal’ food is likely unimaginable to us. The irony of the humble surroundings of Christ’s birth is much more significant when we understand this baby was God in the flesh.

The child’s mother, Mary, submitted to her God (Luke 1:46-49), despite her limited understanding. Did Mary realize her son’s humble beginning would set the trend of His life? That Jesus would become her Savior?

Just as obediently, the omniscient Son of God, humbled Himself and came to earth in human form (Hebrews 2:14-18), knowingly embracing a sacrificial life on the dusty planet He’d created. How do we comprehend a Father sending His Son to the agonies of earth and leaving the glories of Heaven? For, as we follow Jesus’ story, we learn He would go even lower than a feeding trough.

“Look now He’s kneeling He’s washin’ their feet
Though they’re all filthy fishermen, traitors and thieves
Now He’s pouring His heart out and they’re fallin’ asleep
But He has to go lower still”

Unable to grasp this level of humility, Simon Peter initially refused Jesus’ invitation to wash his feet. (John 13:6-8) He didn’t realize Jesus was demonstrating why He had come.

Although we don’t know much about Jesus’ life between His boyhood and His manhood, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi, describing Jesus’ heart. It would be difficult to find a better example of Jesus’ humble depths than Paul’s words in Philippians 2.

God in Jesus “emptied Himself.” That’s low!
He took upon Himself “the likeness of humanity.” That’s lower!
In this human condition, Christ humbled Himself “to the point of death — even death on a cross.” Lower still.

Commentators help us imagine why the apostles would have been gripped by death on a cross, in comparing it to the barbaric way many Jews died during the Nazi regime. Stripped of their belongings, clothing, and dignity, millions were led to gas chambers to die an agonizing death. Crucifixion was THIS kind of death. And Jesus went willingly. Author and pastor, Trevin Wax, explained, “The Creator was slain by His creation. The Shepherd was slain by His sheep. The Creator of life submitted to death.”

Even lower He went.

“There is greater love to show
Hands to the plow
Further down now
Blood must flow

All these steps are personal
All His shame is ransom
Oh do you see, do you see just how low, he has come
Do you see it now?
No one takes from him
What he freely gives away
Beat in his face
Tear the skin off his back
Lower still, lower still
Strip off his clothes
Make him crawl through the streets
Lower still, lower still
Hang him like meat
On a criminal’s tree
Lower still, lower still
Bury his corpse in the Earth
Like a seed, like a seed, like a seed
Lower still, lower still
Lower still, lower still…”

But God! (Romans 5:6-8)
Christ was lowered into a borrowed tomb, then rose out of it
that we may be lowered and raised with Him!
Christ went low so our songs could rise:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

“The Earth explodes
She cannot hold Him!
And all therein is placed beneath Him
And death itself no longer reigns
It cannot keep the ones He gave himself to save
And as the universe shatters the darkness dissolves
He alone will be honored
We will bathe in His splendor
As all heads bow lower still
All heads bow lower still.”

Paul reminds us Christ died and returned to life. And one day every knee will bow lower still to the risen and reigning Christ. (Romans 14:9-11) May we choose now to fall honestly and humbly at the feet of Jesus, to bow our heads and hearts lower still, and discover His glorious grace.