Search Fore Hymn

There is a Blessed Home

There is a blessed home
Beyond this land of woe,
When trials never come
Nor tears of sorrow flow;
Where faith is lost in sight,
and patient hope is crown'd,
And ever lasting light
Its glory throws around.

There is a land of peace,
Good Angels know it well;
Glad songs that never cease
Within its portals swell;
Around is glorious Throne
Ten thousands Saints adore
CHRIST, with the FATHER ONE
AND SPIRIT, evermore.

O joy all joys beyond,
to see the LAMB Who died,
And count each sacred Wound
In Hands and Feet, and Side:
To give to Him the praise
Of every triumph won,
And sing through endless days
The great things He hath done.

Look up, ye saints of GOD,
Nor fear to tread below
The path your Saviour trod
Of daily toil and woe;
Wait but a little while
In uncomplaining love,
His own most gracious
Shall welcome you above.

The heart lifting and heart rending reality of this hymn is that we live in the here and now as but a shadow of there and then. It might seem that the author has a bit of a 'downer' on life here but that would be to mishear the tone of the words.  To know Jesus is to live in the Great Wait - for we wait for Him! This is made clear in the letter to the church in Colossae (Col 3.1-12)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practicesand have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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