Who can be compared
with the LORD our God, who is
-enthroned- on high?
He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth
-He- lifts
the poor from the dust and the needy
from the garbage dump.
Psalm 113:7
If I were to say to you,
“That person was condescending to me,” this would not be a compliment.
Those who act in a condescending way look down their long, important noses at us. They think that they are “big people” and treat us as “little people.”
But Christian theologians use the
language of condescension in a different way
God condescends to us,
-not by reminding us- of our
smallness and neediness,
but rather by stooping to help us.
The God who
exceeds all
human understanding
nevertheless makes himself known to us
in the Word written and the
Word made flesh.
The God in whom there is
no sin takes our sin upon himself so that we might
be saved.
The God who created the universe
helps us when we are weak.
In these ways and countless others,
God condescends for our sake.
This gracious action is celebrated in Psalm 113.
The Lord who is enthroned on high nevertheless stoops to look down upon us.
Yet he is not,
as the pop song proclaims, just “watching us from a distance.”
Rather God reaches down
in
mercy to lift
“the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump” (113:7).
What an amazing picture
of God’s condescension!
This psalm foreshadows the greatest divine act of condescension,
even humiliation. In Philippians 2, we
see Jesus who,
Though he was God, he did
not think of equality with God
as something to
cling to
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave and was
born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he
humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a
cross
In the incarnation and death of Jesus,
God did more than just stoop to help us.
He became one of us,
sharing in our weakness and bearing
our sin.
Thus, in Jesus, we see most clearly
the
self-giving love and merciful
condescension of God.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:
Have you ever experienced God lifting you
from the dust? When?
How has God reached down to help you in your daily life or work?
Do you need this sort of help today? In what way?
PRAYER:
Gracious Lord, you are, indeed,
enthroned above the highest heaven.
You are great beyond greatness, glorious
-beyond glory-
All praise be to you for your majesty
and
power and sovereignty!
Yet, in
love and mercy, you look down upon us. And
not only look,
but reach down to help us. And not only reach,
but come down to be with us
in Jesus.
And not only share life with us, but
take our sin and bear it.
How wonderful you are!
Thank you, dear Lord, for
all the times you have reached down to help me.
How good you are, how gracious and kind!
May I live in the confidence of your grace
today, giving it away to others.
In the name of Jesus, who humbled himself,
Amen.
Who can be compared
with the LORD our God, who is
-enthroned- on high?
He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth
-He- lifts
the poor from the dust and the needy
from the garbage dump.
Psalm 113:7
If I were to say to you,
“That person was condescending to me,” this would not be a compliment.
Those who act in a condescending way look down their long, important noses at us. They think that they are “big people” and treat us as “little people.”
But Christian theologians use the
language of condescension in a different way
God condescends to us,
-not by reminding us- of our
smallness and neediness,
but rather by stooping to help us.
The God who
exceeds all
human understanding
nevertheless makes himself known to us
in the Word written and the
Word made flesh.
The God in whom there is
no sin takes our sin upon himself so that we might
be saved.
The God who created the universe
helps us when we are weak.
In these ways and countless others,
God condescends for our sake.
This gracious action is celebrated in Psalm 113.
The Lord who is enthroned on high nevertheless stoops to look down upon us.
Yet he is not,
as the pop song proclaims, just “watching us from a distance.”
Rather God reaches down
in
mercy to lift
“the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump” (113:7).
What an amazing picture
of God’s condescension!
This psalm foreshadows the greatest divine act of condescension,
even humiliation. In Philippians 2, we
see Jesus who,
Though he was God, he did
not think of equality with God
as something to
cling to
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave and was
born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he
humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a
cross
In the incarnation and death of Jesus,
God did more than just stoop to help us.
He became one of us,
sharing in our weakness and bearing
our sin.
Thus, in Jesus, we see most clearly
the
self-giving love and merciful
condescension of God.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:
Have you ever experienced God lifting you
from the dust? When?
How has God reached down to help you in your daily life or work?
Do you need this sort of help today? In what way?
PRAYER:
Gracious Lord, you are, indeed,
enthroned above the highest heaven.
You are great beyond greatness, glorious
-beyond glory-
All praise be to you for your majesty
and
power and sovereignty!
Yet, in
love and mercy, you look down upon us. And
not only look,
but reach down to help us. And not only reach,
but come down to be with us
in Jesus.
And not only share life with us, but
take our sin and bear it.
How wonderful you are!
Thank you, dear Lord, for
all the times you have reached down to help me.
How good you are, how gracious and kind!
May I live in the confidence of your grace
today, giving it away to others.
In the name of Jesus, who humbled himself,
Amen.
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