83 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.
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.
Devotion
For most of my growing-up years, the Christmas season didn’t really start (despite Advent being well underway) until the Christmas Candlelight program at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore, Maryland. When I was finally old enough to sing in the Glee Club, we processed in, wearing white cottas and carrying candles, to a very slow and stately cadence of “Come, thou long-expected Jesus.” With all the verses and harmony memorized, we could walk tall and straight without burying our faces in the music. I still cannot hear the Charles Wesley setting of these words without being transported to a special corner of my heart.
In earlier years, the combination of words, melody, and candlelight were calming and reassuring. They were an almost mystical, magical prelude to the coming of a more celebratory and noisy season.
But now I pay closer attention to the familiar words than I used to, especially the first verse. What an appropriate year (as was last year) for a plea to be set free from our fears. Fear has dominated our lives for so many months that it is becoming harder to remember what free really feels like. And even our rest becomes crowded with anxious thoughts that create more tension than refreshment.
Moving with deliberation from fear to joy, from emotional exhaustion to spiritual nourishment is hard work. But this is a journey that we needn’t make alone. We have each other and a promise born to accompany us.
In earlier years, the combination of words, melody, and candlelight were calming and reassuring. They were an almost mystical, magical prelude to the coming of a more celebratory and noisy season.
But now I pay closer attention to the familiar words than I used to, especially the first verse. What an appropriate year (as was last year) for a plea to be set free from our fears. Fear has dominated our lives for so many months that it is becoming harder to remember what free really feels like. And even our rest becomes crowded with anxious thoughts that create more tension than refreshment.
Moving with deliberation from fear to joy, from emotional exhaustion to spiritual nourishment is hard work. But this is a journey that we needn’t make alone. We have each other and a promise born to accompany us.