Earlier today on Bellshill Salvation Army Band’s Facebook page I shared the devotions I shared at our band practice last Wednesday evening. I’d like to share those devotions with you tonight.
All the world is waiting, waiting, Lord, for thee.
How creation groans in anguish, crying to be free!
Lord, we trust thy promises, to quickly come again
Chorus
Even so, Lord Jesus, come, O come!
Even so, Lord Jesus, come, O come!
All the world is longing, longing to be free
From the power of sin and death and darkness, let it be!
Holy Spirit, move the hearts of those in unbelief!
All the world is hoping love and peace to see;
Sons of God are hoping, waiting, trusting but in thee!
Glorious that future day, when raised to die no more!
Christmas is often seen as a season of joy, lights, and celebration. Yet this song reminds us that beneath the sparkle, the world is still waiting. Creation itself groans, longing to be free from sin, death, and darkness. We live in the tension between the “already” of Christ’s first coming and the “not yet” of His promised return.
The lyrics echo Paul’s words found in Romans:
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Romans 8:22 (NIV)
Just as creation waits, so do we. We wait for the day when love and peace will reign fully, when death will be no more, and when every tear will be wiped away.
When we’re asked to wait, we can often become impatient. However this song reminds us to trust God, because He has promised that He will return. So we wait with hope in our hearts.
Lord, we trust Thy promises, to quickly come again.
Christmas is not only about looking back to Bethlehem, it’s about looking forward to the day when Christ will return in glory. The manger points us to the throne. The child born in humility will come again as King, because the story isn’t finished yet.
The Distinct Dot 