My Song is Love Unknown (ELW 343)
1 My song is love unknown,
my Savior’s love to me,
love to the loveless shown
that they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I that for my sake
my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
2 He came from his blest throne
salvation to bestow;
the world that was his own
would not its Savior know.
But, oh, my friend, my friend indeed,
who at my need his life did spend!
3 Sometimes we strew his way
and his sweet praises sing;
resounding all the day
hosannas to our king.
Then “Crucify!” is all our breath,
and for his death we thirst and cry.
4 We cry out; we will have
our dear Lord made away,
a murderer to save,
the prince of life to slay.
Yet cheerful he to suff’ring goes
that he his foes from thence might free.
5 In life no house, no home
my Lord on earth might have;
in death no friendly tomb
but what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was his home
but mine the tomb wherein he lay.
6 Here might I stay and sing—
no story so divine!
Never was love, dear King,
never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend!
Text: Samuel Crossman, 1624–83, alt.
Devotion
Our theme hymn for Lent this year is “My Song Is Love Unknown.”
This hymn tells two stories. The story of Jesus’ ministry and passion intermingles with our story as humans.
The hymn lifts up the mystery of God’s deep unknowable love that Jesus reveals. The hymn also shares the puzzling response of humans to the Good News of Jesus. How could Jesus love us so deeply and persistently when we are so messed up?
Humans never completely understand God. We trust that God continues to love, teach, heal, forgive, and work to transform our lives. Through Christ Jesus and the cross, we can comprehend what we need to know about God. Jesus takes our place even when we try to destroy him. Jesus loves us when we reject the Good News that God is for us.
Prayer
Dear God, you know the ways we resist your will. We trust and praise you for your gracious love that we know most deeply in your Son, Jesus, and his cross. Amen.