What Wondrous Love is This

Ash Wednesday Reflections

A sombre time. A stillness sweeps over me in a quiet sanctuary with hundreds of other people. The night is cold, and sitting there on the pew I feel the chill, making me almost reach for my scarf. But instead, I am caught in the reflective moments. The service is led by our three pastors, and they move from prayer into responses into a sermon. Quiet organ pieces fill the space. Hymns are sung. On a little slip of paper we write sins we have committed against God, our neighbors, and ourselves. We bring those slips of paper forward, and as the pastor nails those words just written to a large wooden cross, the other pastor smudges an ashen cross on your forehead with his thumb. This ashen smudge marks a reminder to us that it is by the blood of Christ, given freely on the cross, that we are able to be washed clean of the sins we wrote on that slip of paper. And when I kneel to pray at the altar before walking back to my seat, a washed feeling comes over me as I pray for strength to be more loving and to follow God at every moment, and not myself. As these very simple prayers dwell in my thoughts, I sense the presence of God close, listening, and comforting my heart. An overwhelming sense of love fills me and I know it can only be the love of God. It is powerful, and I am thankful.

Suddenly I am warm, but from the inside.

Hidden in my secret heart is the love of God.
So, then we sang:

What Wondrous Love is This

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of life
to lay aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
to lay aside his crown for my soul.

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.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity I’ll sing on.