Light of the World, We Hail Thee,

Light of the world, we hail Thee, flushing the eastern skies;
Never shall darkness veil Thee again from human eyes;
Too long, alas, withholden, now spread from shore to shore;
Thy light, so glad and golden, shall set on earth no more.

Light of the world, Thy beauty steals into every heart,
And glorifies with duty life’s poorest, humblest, part;
Thou robest in Thy splendour the simple ways of men,
And helpest them to render light back to Thee again.

Light of the world, before Thee our spirits prostrate fall;
We worship, we adore Thee, Thou Light, the Life of all;
With Thee is no forgetting of all Thine hand hath made;
Thy rising hath no setting, Thy sunshine hath no shade.

Light of the world, illumine this darkened earth of Thine,
Till everything that’s human be filled with what’s divine;
Till every tongue and nation, from sin’s dominion free,
Rise in the new creation which springs from love and Thee.

John Samuel Bewley Monsell 1863

I think I would have gotten on well with Monsell – at least if a man can be judged by the hymns he writes.  This hymn is in many ways a reflection on the last prayer of Scripture “Come Lord Jesus, Come”.  What are we longing for? What are we hoping for?

Are we not waiting for Christ to be all in all?  Holding out for Jesus to return and to recreate that which is fallen?  Longing for His perfection to replace our sinfulness?  Hoping toward that Great Day? 

We see now in the pale light of dawn what will soon be the full glare of the noonday sun.  Come Lord Jesus, come!

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Revelation 22:16-21