The cattle are lowing. . .what is that?

I realize it isn't close to Christmas and it has been a long time since we have seen any white stuff  to cause me to think about Christmas, but the word cattle conjurs up all kinds of thing in my brain.  So here I am thinking about "cattle" and the 3rd verse of Away in the Manger pops up in my head.  And I have questions!!

Sing it with me. . .

The cattle are lowing
the Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
no crying He makes

What does a cow do when he lows?

Is that a sound they make or something they do with their hooves?

Since I have miniatures - are they low(ing) to the ground? (haha)

Is lowing something they used in the lyrics because it sounded better than "mooing"?

Does lowing have some spiritual significance?

So here it is. . .www.Dictionary.com says "to utter the deep, low sound characteristic of cattle; moo-" 


Lowing means - moooooo! 

(Just a tid bit of information not really important to this post, but did you know that this verse wasn't original to the song?  It was added by a methodist minister for a childrens program.all the way back in the early1900's.) 

According to the song, baby Jesus is awaken by this lowing sound.  Let me tell you, I have a few cows that can certainly wake up a baby!  (They have "awaken" my neighbors on numerous occasions!)  They sound more like foghorns!  Anyway, I really have a tough time believing if a baby was woke up by this lowing cow there was no crying.  I have a feeling there was bawl, bellow, blare, caterwaul, hollar, howl, jar, roar, screak, screech , shout, shriek, shrill,  (The thesaurus helped me describe what may have happened.)

See, Christ was a baby and why should we believe he did not act like a baby.  I am not getting into any theological debate on whether or not you think crying is sinful or not, but there is no denying Christ was a baby. 

So what?  What is the big deal that Christ became a baby?

Think about it this way - because God became flesh He can understand the frailties our flesh.  If you are suffering - he understands, if you are tempted - he knows, if you are feeling rejected or betrayed - he understands, if you have joy and praise on your heart - he knows.  Christ has been there. 

But more importantly be reminded. . .


 
Christ became man.  God became flesh.  Christ became a baby - fully God and fully man.  This was God's plan from the very beginning.  God needed someone in the flesh to satisfy His wrath against sin, but that person needed to be sinless - holy like Him.  Christ - fully God and fully man was the only answer.  Christ became the propitiation (big word - I know), "Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:16-18  (This should help you understand and remember what propitiation means, propitiation - wrath swollower - Christ is the wrath swollower)

Maybe the cattle and their lowing had little signficance in the song, and maybe the song itself is not very accurate, but make no mistake - it is a blessed thing to be reminded of Christ coming to earth to satify what we could not do.  In fact, it has eternal signficance!

So, the next time you hear the cattle lowing - be overjoyed and thankful to be reminded that Christ became a man to swollow God's wrath aimed for us - all for His glory!  Amen