This past Sunday I featured an arrangement of a traditional Lent hymn during the 8:15 special music spot.

You might be thinking “Are there not enough Advent hymns?  We are preparing for the arrival of Jesus and you’re already using music from Lent? What gives?”

Yes there are and yes I did.  

While I will not even begin to think I can comprehend or think for Jesus sometimes my mind wanders a little and I imagine what he might have felt or thought.  He was human on earth and I’m human so I feel like maybe I can relate just the tiniest bit.  

Jesus had to have known early on what his destiny was.  I don’t think he started his ministry and God said “Surprise!  I’m going to have you die in a horrific and torturous death for countless people, many of whom won’t appreciate the magnitude of your gift.”

I would surmise that at the moment his physically human brain was capable of conscious thought he was fully aware of what the future held.  Imagine if you will, being a young boy working in your earthly father’s carpentry business working with wood, knowing what was coming years down the road. Knowing that in an ironic twist it would be wood that would hold you up for all the world to see as you pour out your life for all mankind. 

Imagine growing up and passing through adolescence into adulthood knowing the salvation of humanity rested squarely in your shoulders. 

Any ordinary person would be mentally and emotionally crushed by that burden and never make it to the actual act of sacrifice.  But Jesus bore that burden for his entire time in his body of flesh and bone for you.  For me.  For everyone.  All because of his wondrous love. 

My favorite verse from that hymn is in my mind the only way I could fathom  responding to this wondrous gift:

“To God and to the Lamb 
I will sing, I will sing; 
to God and to the Lamb, 
I will sing.

To God and to the Lamb 
who is the great “I AM,” 
while millions join the theme,
I will sing, I will sing, 
while millions join the theme, 
I will sing.”

What wondrous love is this?  Oh my soul, this is the unconditional love of God!

Silas