I think this song was written for a Uniting Church Youth Convention. In 1980.
But it’s widely used especially in the Lutheran Church in Australia. Not surprising that it finds a ready home with us Lutherans. Traditionally at least & maybe still, we see & feel the Christian path as a lowly journey, not a grand & victorious highway.
‘Low, the way is low with the man the angels praise.
He who spoke the sky was a baby dressed in hay’.When I was asked to put tune names to songs for the Australian Lutheran hymnbook supplement, this song got ‘Long Flat’. It’s the name of the small dairying community just across the river from Murray Bridge where I grew up. It was a good place for a childhood, ordinary, & the prevailing smell of cow manure was in the air.
We are companions of the one whose name is Love,
we share his life as we grow.
We carry Jesus' death with each and every breath,
our hope is high, the way is low.I find the idea of ‘we carry Jesus’ death’ a very strong one. 2 Corinthians (ch 4-5?). For me it connects with being ‘in Christ’.
2. See the glory road, he was tempted by it too.
But he set his course with Jerusalem in view.The temptations after Jesus was baptised are certainly part of this song (‘If you are the Son of God ….’) & Luke 9 has Jesus heading to Jerusalem
3. When our time is gone, we will see the great new day.
Till that day appears, all we know is Jesus' way.Some of us can get too down on ourselves, but we all need reminding all the time of the ‘narrow way’, the way that is walked by those who are ‘poor in spirit’.