On Our Way Rejoicing, as We Homeward Move

On our way rejoicing, as we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love!
Is there grief or sadness? Thou our joy shalt be;
Is our sky beclouded? There is light with Thee.

On our way rejoicing, as we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love!

If with honest hearted love for God and man,
Day by day Thou find us doing all we can,
Thou who givest the seed time, will give large increase,
Crown the head with blessings, fill the heart with peace.

Refrain

On our way rejoicing gladly let us go;
Conquered hath our Leader, vanquished is our foe;
Christ without, our safety, Christ within, our joy;
Who, if we be faithful, can our hope destroy?

Refrain

Unto God the Father joyful songs we sing;
Unto God the Saviour thankful hearts we bring;
Unto God the Spirit bow we and adore;
On our way rejoicing now and evermore.

On our way rejoicing, as we homeward move,
Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love!

John Samuel Bewley Monsell 1863

Monsell is quickly becoming one of my favourite hymn writers.  I love the tone of this hymn, it reminds me of many homeward journeys and how they make me feel. 

Approaching home, after a few days or a few weeks away, there is a sense of hope and peace and to be in a place of knowing and being known.  Even when family life is fraught there is still a sense of coming home to where we belong.  Of course Monsell is talking of the True Home of the Christian – eternity with God.

The heart of the Christian is set on God, in His Triune beauty, and longs to be with Him: even when choosing wrong we know we are choosing badly and turning from, rather than too, our true Home.

We travel with God toward our Heavenly Home and we travel with His people. There will come a time when that Home will be revealed: the hope of it turns our hearts from the insanity of sin and fortifies us with the resolve and resources to make it all the way!

[Jesus said] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:1-6