"Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus!"

"Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s Strength and Consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart."

        The above stanza from "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus" is a beautiful song of longing and hope for the coming of Christ.  The hymn was, by all accounts, written by Charles Wesley for the season of Advent.  In the first verse, the singer yearns for the coming of Jesus to rescue us from the slavery of sin, and is comforted by remembering that Jesus is truly the only Comforter, and will come to bring peace and joy at the last.   This Christmas, rejoice in the fact that Jesus has come to save us from sin, and will come once more to take us home.

"Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne."

        In the second, and final, verse here, we see Christ as the One who died on the cross for our sins - the one who came in the likeness of man, condemned sin in the flesh, and is raised to the right hand of the Father, where he reigns forever.  Finally: by His Spirit, he will rule in those hearts which trust in Him, and by his work, not our own, raise us as new creations once and for all time.

        As we come to the last few days of this year, let us remember the One to whom we owe our salvation, and let us never cease to thank Him for coming to save our undeserving selves.

        "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forevermore." Isaiah 9:6-7.

Merry Christmas, Friends!

William Moore