Devotion for today: The time of Christ’s coming is near!!

 

The King shall come when morning dawns

The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks;
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.

Not, as of old, a little child,
to bear and fight and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.

The King shall come when morning dawns
and earth's dark night is past;
O haste the rising of that morn,
the day that e'er shall last;

And let the endless bliss begin,
by weary saints foretold,
when right shall triumph over wrong,
and truth shall be extolled.

The King shall come when morning dawns
and light and beauty brings:
Hail, Christ the Lord! Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings.

Words: Greek; trans. John Brownlie, 1907

My thoughts: This hymn reminds us today, Christmas Eve, that as we prepare for the festivities of tomorrow, we are going to celebrate the coming of Christ, our King, not Santa Clause! As adults, we must be awed and overwhelmed at the idea that God chose to come to earth as a baby, in poor conditions, born to a virgin and sought by Herod to be put to death. He was loved by those who believed in Him, and hated by those who didn’t. He was killed and then triumphantly rose, and He will come again. This hymn reminds us that tomorrow is the birth of the the Baby Jesus, but our King reigns, and will come again in glory. The darkness which covered the earth at His first coming reminds many of us of the darkness which covers our world today. But we are ever hopeful. The last verse tells us that Christ brings light and beauty. Those of us who believe in Him live in that world, one where we pray, “Come Quickly, King of Kings.” May your Christmas Eve be filled with a child-like anticipation, not for the coming of Santa, but for the coming of Christ the King, whose gifts of peace, love and eternal life, will never break or grow old.