Christ is Surely Coming

Last night, we finished the second half of Wachet Auf. This is really not because my children couldn’t sit through a 30 minute cantata all at once. Oh, they can! No, simple bedtime math meant we really only had 15 minutes each night for Advent songs.

Wachet Auf really drove home for the kids the idea of Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church as His bride. We talked about the collective bride and the individual aspect of the bride. My kids are all under seven, but they all understand the special relationship of a bridegroom and bride. They understand that this pairing should never part one another. There is true faithfulness that must be seen between them.

As we moved one from Wachet Auf, I was impressed by this as well. Lord, my Christ, my Bridegroom, make me ever faithful.

After the cantata, we sang through “Hark, A Herald Voice is Calling” and then tonight, “Christ is Surely Coming.” Both of these tunes exhibit a bit of simplicity in music, using familiar tunes with various lyrics, but both draw attention to the coming Christ as one of great power, coming to do great things in the universe.

I find this so important to remember. Let us enjoy the nostalgia of the manger. Let us be in wonder of the God of the universe in the form of a baby. As my four year old said at dinner tonight, “It’s like Jesus is so much bigger than Mary, half of him was sticking out of her!” Ok, maybe we can think about it more eloquently, but it draws a interesting picture.

Yes, all of this is true. But let us also remember that the God of the universe came to do Godly, universal things. His power is never diminished; he is always Alpha, Omega, Judge, Savior, and Morning Star.

Hark! A Herald Voice is Calling

1. Hark! a herald voice is calling:
    ‘Christ is nigh,’ it seems to say;
‘Cast away the dreams of darkness,
    O ye children of the day!’

2. Startled at the solemn warning,
    Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
    Shines upon the morning skies.

3. Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,
    Comes with pardon down from heaven;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
    One and all to be forgiven;

4. So when next he comes with glory,
    Wrapping all the earth in fear,
May he then as our defender
    Of the clouds of heaven appear.

5. Honour, glory, virtue, merit,
    To the Father and the Son,
With the co-eternal Spirit,
    While unending ages run. Amen.

Surely Christ is Coming
1 Christ is surely coming bringing his reward,
Alpha and Omega, First and Last and Lord:
Root and stem of David, brilliant Morning Star:
meet your Judge and Saviour, nations near and far;
meet your Judge and Saviour, nations near and far!

2 See the holy city! There they enter in,
All by Christ made holy, washed from every sin:
thirsty ones, desiring all he loves to give,
come for living water, freely drink, and live;
come for living water, freely drink, and live!

3 Grace be with God's people! Praise his holy name!
Father, Son, and Spirit, evermore the same.
Hear the certain promise from the eternal home:
'Surely I come quickly!' Come, Lord Jesus, come;
'Surely I come quickly!' Come, Lord Jesus, come!