Hymn 140 - Jesus, I Will Ponder Now

Tomorrow we will enter the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday service. This begins a 40 day journey of solemn reflection, not only on all that Jesus suffered, but also on the seriousness of our sin, which caused Jesus' suffering and death. 

The 17th century hymn by Sigismund von Birken, Jesus I will ponder now, is an especially fitting hymn to begin our reflection. It is the first hymn in the Lenten section in our hymnal for a reason! This hymn is a prayer to Jesus with requests for Him to send the Spirit to bless our time of meditation in the coming weeks. We pray that He would consider the depth of His love for us as seen in all that He willingly suffered. We pray that He would help us to see the magnitude and seriousness of our personal sins, which were the cause of His death. We pray that He would give us strength to respond to His love with love for Him and others with a new life in word and action. 

Yes, Jesus was "delivered to the Gentiles... mocked and insulted and spit upon..." (Luke 18:33). Peter writes: "He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:18). 

Join us for worship on Ash Wednesday as contemplate the mystery of God's salvation in Christ. Contemplate your sin and Jesus full sacrifice for them. Pray for the the Spirit to bless your contemplation of God's great love for you!