Oh, Love, How Deep (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 322)
1 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 mortal’s sake!
2 He sent no angel to our race,
Of higher or of lower place,
But wore the robe of human frame,
And to this world himself he came.
3 For us baptized, for us he bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptation sharp he knew;
For us the tempter overthrew.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 All glory to our Lord and God
For love so deep, so high, so broad;
The Trinity whom we adore
Forever and forevermore.
Text: Thomas á Kempis; Music: English ballad; Public Domain
Devotion
Upon first considering “Oh, Love, How Deep” for these devotional pieces, I opted to lay it aside. To 21st century ears, “us” too often means “not you.” In the final analysis, this is the very reason I chose it. Each time I read through the full text, I began to hear and interpret the “for us” as broadly and deeply as Thomas á Kempis does when he lauds God’s love in Christ.
Then I began to sing it. My sensitivity to the “us” was dulled. Instead of worrying about misuse, the hymn convinced me that this expansive God, Creator, Savior, and Spirit, will not rest until our singing turns into trust that God refuses to be an enemy to any of us.
As we sing together what prophets, psalmists, criminals, and apostles, have come to “know” about God, the Risen Christ sneaks out of his resurrection garden, takes us by the hand and leads us out to new life—life that is deeper, broader, and more truthful than we can ever imagine.
Prayer
Holy God, all glory to you, for you are above and beyond our wildest dreams. Give us courage to live with you in service to your creation and our fellow human beings. May your resurrection promise give us hope enough to share. Amen.