In my younger years I don’t remember much about the week between Palm Sunday and Easter.  Whether I just wasn’t paying attention (entirely possible!) or the churches I attended and/or played at did not really do anything between those two Sundays, it was more of an empty space between two very celebratory Sundays.  I knew what Maundy Thursday and Good Friday represented, but back in those days, it was usually just another week in my mind.

This all changed in 2020 when I played at my first Palm Sunday service at Joy.  Despite the fact it was literally four, maybe five people, counting me in the sanctuary livestreaming with an iPhone (thank you COVID-19!), it hit different. 

I think part of it is that we emphasize the mood shift through the course of our Palm Sunday service at Joy.  We journey from the triumphal entry to the darkest hours in human history, all in a span of 60-75 minutes.  Each of the days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday gives me the time to contemplate the real impact of what Jesus did for us so many centuries ago.  I sometimes find myself on a razor’s edge emotionally – reading a Bible text or a devotional will send me down a mental “rabbit hole” contemplating what I could have possibly done to deserve this incredible gift of salvation.  The truth is I didn’t do anything.  I couldn’t do anything.  But his unconditional love did.

While that unconditional love did not cost me anything, there was still a cost associated with it.  Jesus bore the entirety of this cost – physically, emotionally, and I daresay even spiritually – so we would not have to bear it.

I recently discovered an infrequently used hymn, “Deep Were His Wounds,” penned in 1953 by a poet from Minnesota, William Johnson.  Composer Leland Sateren wrote the tune to go along with the text in 1958.  According to hymnary.org, the hymn has only made an appearance in 14 hymnals, and of those 14 appearances, only 5 of them have been since 1979.  Interestingly, one of the pre-1979 instances was in the Lutheran Book of Worship.  Despite its extreme rarity, the hymn itself is very impactful.

Deep were His wounds, and red, on cruel Calvary,
As on the cross He bled in bitter agony.
But they whom sin has wounded sore
Find healing in the wounds He bore.

He suffered shame and scorn and wretched, dire disgrace;
Forsaken and forlorn, He hung there in our place.
But all who would from sin be free
Look to His cross for victory.

His life, His all, He gave when He was crucified;
Our burdened souls to save, what fearful death He died!
But each of us, though dead in sin,
through Christ eternal life may win.

Below is a link to the hymn, which was sung at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs during a Good Friday service in 2019.

Silas