“What Kind of Love is This?”

Lent 5 April 9, 2025

The hymn from which our Lenten theme, “What Kind of Love is This?” is taken (LSB 542) leaves us to wonder in amazement as we are called upon to ponder the question that is asked in the refrain. It would be good to know the answers that might be offered by readers.

It is said that human thought and language, though excellent at their very best, are inadequate to express fully the attributes (love, mercy, etc.) of our God. Yet, it is the means of communication that God the Spirit uses for our benefit through Holy Scripture in which He speaks to us and we, in our response, speak back to Him as his chosen people who were once dead in trespasses and sins.

That we might dare to know or imagine the depth, width, height, and breadth of God’s love for us and the whole world in Jesus, His only-begotten Son, let us reflect on the Prophet Isaiah’s inspired description of the Lord’s suffering in his Servant Song (52:13 -53:12) and be granted the blessing “to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God,” (Ephesians 3:19).

What kind of love is this? For me. For you. Perfect. Immeasurable. Indescribable. Unfathomable. Amazing. Divine…(please add to the list).

What love is this? Greater love No one has ever known.

My life with God— this I owe To you, and you alone. Amen. (LSB 542 st. 4)

The Rev. Peter Deebrah

Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew, New York, New York

Pastor, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mt. Vernon, NY

LWML Atlantic District Triune Zone Pastoral Counselor