Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

We are now in the season of Advent.  This is the season celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  So, for the next couple weeks, I'll be posting Christmas Hymns.  I'll be posting some that may not be familiar to some of you, so read carefully, and enjoy these hymns that you may never sing in church or anywhere else during the Christmas season.  This hymn is about Christ's birth on earth and the longing the Jews had for their savior, but it is more than that.  It gives a good picture of His birth, and the blessing that have some with it.  It gives us a good picture of what He was, and what His birth actually meant.  But, when reading this hymn, be thinking about Christ's second coming.  Be thinking about Christ coming again.  Be asking Him to come back soon.  Some of us may not be very excited when we think of Christ coming back and all of us being in heaven with God forever.  Sometimes I feel like that too.  I like this life, I don't want to be thinking about when it's over.  I don't want Jesus to come back now, I just started living!  But, we should be saying, "come, thou long expected Jesus.  Set us free from the bonds of sin and this broken world."  We should be asking for God's kingdom to come.  Does this mean we shouldn't enjoy this life?  Absolutely not!  It's a gift, and we need to enjoy it and live it to the fullest, but we shouldn't fall in love with it to the point where we'd rather be in this broken world, than for Christ to come and be with Him.  Am I making sense?  So, read and enjoy this hymn, about Christ's first advent, and looking forward to His second. 

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. Joy to those who long to see Thee, Day-spring from on high, appear: come, thou promised Rod of Jesse, of thy birth we long to hear!  Over the hills the angels singing news, glad tidings of a birth;  "Go to Him, your praises bringing; Christ the Lord has come to earth." Come to earth to taste our sadness, He whose glories knew no end; by His life He brings us gladness, our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.  Leaving riches without number, born within a cattle stall; this is the everlasting wonder, Christ was born the Lord of all. Born Thy people to deliver, Born a Child and yet a King. Born to reign in us for ever, 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.