For Us...some Ash Wednesday Thoughts

I have, over the past several months, been putting together a list of the "for us" and "for you" passages from Scripture. My friend, Sally, encouraged me to look into them and perhaps write a book. Well, if you know me, I take up challenges and have found immeasurable blessings in writing down verses that speak of what God does for you, for me and for us His People.

Last night, at our Ash Wednesday service, Pastor spoke about How High the love of God is for us and while listening, the other part of my brain was reflecting on the Sermon Hymn:

O Love, How Deep. (click here to listen to it while reading this blog post)

1 O love, how deep, how broad, how high, Beyond all thought and fantasy, That God, the Son of God, should take Our mortal form for mortals' 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 wicked men 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.

While reflecting I noticed a familiar theme in the ancient hymn: For us. Verses 3, 4, 5 & 6 all begin with the short but powerful phrase "For us". This morning, after reading from Treasury of Daily Prayer, I began to think upon this truth and wanted to share some short statements of what God did FOR US through the birth, life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I pray you will take encouragement during this Lenten Season where we remember the price He paid FOR US for our salvation. May the Lord richly bless you this season as you think upon what He did FOR US.

For us He sent His Only Begotten Son

For us He took on human flesh

For us He was born of Mary, of the Virgin's Seed

For us He obeyed both God and man

For us He grew in Grace and knowledge before both God and men

For us He was baptized

For us He went down into the waters of baptism clean and came out dirty (so that when we go into the waters of Holy Baptism dirty we come out clean)

For us He healed the blind, the deaf and the lame.

For us He raised the dead.

For us He taught God's Holy Word

For us He IS the Word of God

For us He proclaimed the Kingdom of God is here

For us He endured temptation and suffering

For us He was scorned and ridiculed

For us He was betrayed by a friend

For us He was hunted by enemies

For us He prayed.

For us He endured the Cross

For us He despised the shame

For us He hung upon the Cross

For us He prayed: Forgive them Lord.

For us He bore the wrath of God

For us He died a criminal's death

For us he was laid in a tomb

For us He rested on the Seventh Day

For us He led captivity captive

For us He broke the chains of death

For us He conquered death, hell and the grave

For us He bound the strongman

For us He burst through the grave clothes

For us He rose from the dead

For us He conquered sin, death and the Devil

for us He lives

For us He prays

For Us He offers the forgiveness of sins and life eternal

For us He is coming again to judge the Living and the Dead

For us He is coming to take us Home.