Oh, Love, How Deep, ELW 322
Devotion
Oh, love, how deep, how broad, how high,
beyond all thought and fantasy,
that God, the Son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals' sake!
God sent no angel to our race,
of higher or of lower place,
but wore the robe of human frame,
in Christ our Lord to this world came.
For us baptized, for us he bore
his holy fast and hungered sore;
for us temptation sharp he knew;
for us the tempter overthrew.
For us he prayed; for us he taught;
for us his daily works he wrought,
by words and signs and actions thus
still seeking not himself, but us.
For us by wickedness betrayed,
for us, in crown of thorns arrayed,
he bore the shameful cross and death;
for us he gave his dying breath.
For us he rose from death again;
for us he went on high to reign;
for us he sent his Spirit here
to guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.
All glory to our Lord and God
for love so deep, so high, so broad;
the Trinity whom we adore
forever and forevermore.
Love That Sent the Spirit to Guide, Comfort, and Cheer
I was five in 1936 when my father took me to the hospital for a tonsillectomy. Having played "hospital" with my toy doctor's kit, I felt eager to experience the real thing. Because things were very informal in a rural hospital at that time, my father was allowed to walk along beside the gurney taking me into the operating room. He waited outside the door. Everything was exciting until the mask was put over my nose and mouth, and ether began dripping on to the mask. Suddenly I was afraid and cried out in panic. That was when I heard my father's calm voice, "Corinne, I'm right here."
As I remember that moment so vividly, it renews my thankfulness for a very good earthly father, and gives me a living image of God's loving presence—present with us to guide, to strengthen and to cheer. "I will never leave you orphaned." (John 14:18) And again, God's promise, "Ask, and it will be given you." (Mt. 7:7)
Actually though, “We do not know how to pray as we ought. . . The Spirit helps us in our
weakness . . . that very Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. . . . God who
searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the
saints according to the will of God" (Rom. 8:26-27). And there is still more good news: "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
Prayer
Thank you, God, for assuring us of your presence, and for calling us by name saying, "I'm right here." Amen.