More Advent Singing

March 28  More Advent Singing

 


The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlaslting joy upon their heads. Isa. 35:10.

As we might guess, James White's Hymns, for God's Peculiar People had a large number of songs about the Second Advent and heaven. But since most people had been Christian before they had become Sabbatarian, he apparently did not feel the need to supply many hymns on grace and worshipping the majesty of God. Those were well known. James apparently made his selections to fill a doctrinal gap. Some were quite specific, such as one simply titled "Washing Feet."

White "Washing Feet" didn't make it into the current Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, some of James' selections did. My favorite is "I'm a Pilgrim." While that song was number 666 in the 1941 hymnal, I'm glad to say that it now sports the more sanctified enumeration of 444. Why not sing it with me this morning?

 "1. I'm a pilgrim, and I'm a stranger; I can tarry, I can tarry but a might;
      Do not detain me, for I am going, To where the fountains are ever flowing.
  2. There the glory is ever shining! O, my longing heart, my longing heart is there:
      Here in this country so dark and dreary, I long have wandered forlorn and weary.
  3. There's the city to which I journey; My Redeemer, my Redeemer is its light!
      There is no sorrwo, not any sighing, Nor any tears there, or any dying."

The refarin is a message in itself:
      "I'm a pilgrm, and I'm a stranger; I can tarry, I can tarry but a might."

Really? Is it true that we modern Adventists see ourselves as pilgrims and strangers on this earth who can tarry but a might? For all too many of us this earth has become our home. We are comfortable here. And we like it. After all, we think to ourselves, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing."(Rev. 3:17).

And then comes that policeman's knock on the door to tell us about our daughter; the physician's report that says we have an advanced stage of cancer; the spouse who out of the blue demands a divorce. Suddenly we are back to reality. This earth is not our home.

        

Help me today. Father, to reevaluate my  priorities and my daily life.