Deep Love

Scripture: Psalm 118:26-29 (CEB)

The Revised Vahisha Version of Psalm 118:26-29

26 God tenderly touches those who show up

In the spirit and reflection of God’s goodness

We honor you in the places

we have made and found sanctuary

27 Our Creator is available as Love Without End

And God has gifted us a strobe light

Start the house party!

Come through with earthly elements

For altar offerings

28 The Creator is my Love!

I will make my love known and express

The depths of my gratitude

29 Let God know

How deep is your love

Because God is tender

And generously benevolent

Source: “Pan African Love” by Heather Tolbert, founder of From The Ashes

Meditation

Have you ever told someone about your great love? The one who has moved into your heart and rearranged it in a way that feels like they have always been there and nothing would be the same without them in that heart space. Yeah, me too. This is the feel of these few verses. Gushing to someone, to anyone, probably not for the first time, declaring your deep love for your great love.

In chapter 118, the psalmist describes their Love as kind, merciful, responsive, loyal, powerful, trustworthy, helpful, strong, safe, accountable, just, valuable, important, and giving. This description comes when the people of Israel were exiting Egypt, escaping enslavement and oppression and Love guided and kept them. That’s deep love.

“Black people in America have learned to reach for and believe in the transcendent. This capacity has enabled (us) not only to hold on but to thrive, to keep on moving, despite all efforts to slow us down or eliminate us.” So often, Black folks are asked how we make it through, hold on, keep going, keep laughing, keep having Black children, keep cooking, dancing, creating, building, dreaming, resisting, even as efforts mount to dehumanize how God is reflected in us. Our ancestors drank from a deep well of love as power; a well that was passed to us, from which we still drink and find our being. Love for self. Love for each other. Love for Love that first loved us. That’s deep love.

Blackness is a container of love.

Let us make community containers of love.

Be Black containers of love.

Image bearers of Love.

Love made our Black selves in God’s image.

That means my kindness is Black

Extending mercy in Black

Responding in Black

My loyalty is Black

My power comes in Black

Be trustworthy as Black

Help is Black

Strength is Black

Safety found in Black

Accountable to Black

Justice is Black

Value comes in Black

Important cuz Black

Giving to Black

So I gush to God, to y'all, to anyone receiving my song of love.

I will make my love known and express the depths of my gratitude.

I love God.

I love my Black self.

I love Black people.

That’s deep, love.

That’s deep love.

Williams Smith, Susan K., Rest for the Justice Seeking Soul: 90 Meditations. Whitaker House. 2019. p.79

Song: How Deep Is Your Love? By PJ Morton, featuring Yebba

Reflection Questions:

1. How deep is your love for Black people? Does that depth include alllllllllllll the ways Black people show up? Does your love container only make room for the Black that reflects your own image rather than the expansiveness of God’s image?

2. God first loved us. Who might you need to first love, for the sake of Black life, community and/or solidarity, even before that love is returned?

Call to Action:

Lift in love, one Black person in your community who lives and loves in a liberatory way. Share their life story of love, support their Black life, and make an intention to love them back in some loving way.

About the Author

Rev. Vahisha Hasan (she/her) is the Executive Director of Movement In Faith. She is a faith-rooted organizer moving at the intersections of faith, social justice, and mental health. In community and with prophetic imagination for how faith communities can be an active part of healing and collective liberation.

Stay connected to Vahisha:

Twitter and IG: @VHasanMIF

FB: Vahisha Hasan

Websites: www.movementinfaith.com and www.tracc4movements.com.

These Black Lent devotionals were originally curated by IG: goodneighbormovement.