God in the Lowly Place (#WTSphDEVO Humility)
The most prominent and significant message we hear about the cross of Calvary is the love of God. To me, it is not solely that. The cross speaks of many things – new life, surrender, grace, restoration, victory, deliverance, hope, and the thing I would like to emphasize on – humility.
The revelation of the cross unfolded for humanity and it has been the greatest story ever told (in no comparison at all). Like in every story, there are two sides to it – a different perspective; a different standpoint. It speaks of humility of both the bearer of the cross and the believer of what happened at the cross.
It took the humility of Christ Jesus for the cross to happen; for redemption and for the ransom of our sins.
This is the first act of humility before the cross.
6 Who, being in very nature [a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature [b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
by becoming obedient to death—
Humility means being “lowly” as in a form of the ground –humus. Jesus had become lowly for us to the point of letting the sins of all humanity taint His spotless and blameless self. He allowed our sins to become His. He became a disgrace even to his own Heavenly Father’s eyes. God turned His back when Jesus was on the cross because He could not look upon sin -- especially in His own Son (Habakkuk 1:13). God had departed Jesus on the Cross (Matthew 27:46) and Jesus was judged rightfully for the sins he bore and he received the penalty of our inequities. So that humanity may be spared from it all. He became the ransom for us.
This is the marvellous and miraculous revelation of the cross. And its truth is for allthe world to see, hear and embrace. But the catch is, not all who have seen and heard about it are able to grasp the entirety of its revelation. Only those who humbles before the Lord can experience the power of the cross. This is the second act of humility -- knowing and trusting God in full abandon; departing our own selfish ways; and accepting that we are nothing without Jesus.
God had already stooped in the level of humanity. We don’t need to heighten up ourselves with prestige, achievements, good works, and lavish sacrifices and offerings to meet God. In the darkest times of our lives, in the moments that we are weakest and in the deepest recess and faintest sobs we could utter, God is close by. When we are on the verge of nothingness; when we are hopeless and helpless; when we fall hard in life, He is already ahead down the pit and have his arms ready to catch us. The LORD is near to those whose hearts are humble. He saves those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalm 34:18 God’s Word Translation).
God meets us in the lowliest of place.
