2011-03-16 - My Song is Love Unknown

The Songs of Lent ~ Part 1

This week, we begin a series on The Songs of Lent. We'll be looking at the Biblical correlation to the songs, and also share some thoughts on them. As many of you know, Lent is the 46-day period (though Lent is not actually observed on Sundays) before Easter. Lent is traditionally a time of prayer and fasting, with an emphasis on examination of our lives and hearts, and repentance. Lent harks back to Christ's own fasting and praying in the desert, as well as Moses' 40 days of repentance and fasting after the Golden Calf incident.

We'll begin with the hymn "My Song is Love Unknown," by John David Edwards, written in the early 1800s.

The first verse reads:

"My song is love unknown, My Savior's love to me. Love to the loveless shows that they might lovely be. Oh who am I, that for my sake, my Lord should take frail flesh and die?"

Most of us who are reading this have probably never committed a serious crime, and are fairly decent folks. But as my pastor recently said, "we aren't decent enough." It's not enough.

And many of us spend our lives in love and service, as we Christians should. If we are following in our Lord's footsteps, we reach out to the outcasts, we feed the hungry, give sacrificially, pray earnestly, and are devoted family members and active church members. But it's not enough.

No matter what we do, it's not enough to save us, and it's not enough to deserve Christ's sacrifice for us. As Isaiah 64:6 reminds us, "…our righteousness is as filthy rags." The only thing that IS enough is Christ's death on the cross - for OUR sins.

Who are we, that for our sakes, our Lord should take frail flesh and die? We are beloved children of God, clothed in Christ's righteousness (Isaiah 61:10; Galatians 3:27). That is who we are, and the only way we can be forgiven of our sins, and spend eternity with God.

This week, I encourage you to think about how amazing it is that Christ would give His life for the likes of us.

Janice P. Moser
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All scripture references are from the NASB unless otherwise noted.