Hymns With A Message: IS IT THE CROWNING DAY?

Sunday, January 24, 2021

IS IT THE CROWNING DAY?

When you get awake in the morning do you think about the things that are ahead of you for the day? Do you think about things you must do, places you must go, people you must contact, messages you hope to receive or send or how you are feeling? So many everyday items usually flood our minds.
But how often do we think that today could be the day that Christ appears to take his children home? The rapture is the next major event that scripture tells us will happen. "We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:17). Now we don't know when the rapture will happen even though many have tried and failed to set dates over the years. The Word of God states no one but God the Father knows the time of Christ's return (Matt. 24:30, 36). "It is not for [us] to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:7). But the rapture could happen today and we are to look for His appearing. "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).
Henry Ostrom (1862-1941) asked if this could be the crowning day when he penned the words of this hymn. A humble man, Dr. Ostrom used the pen name George Walker Whitcomb. It enabled him to ask for the singing of a hymn he had written without calling undue attention to himself. When he preached, he often reminded his listeners of the need to get the gospel out, because of the soon return of Christ. Most who heard him say, "This may be the crowning day," were unaware that he had written the stirring gospel song on that theme.
The question for us is are we really hoping that the rapture could happen today? Or are there other things that we want to do first? May our realization be that "Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20). As Whitcomb's song says, "Faithful I'll be today, Glad day! Glad day! And I will freely tell why I should love Him so well, for He is my all today." And because of His promises we need not be anxious or fearful. He will come to take His children out of this world which is filled with sin.
Of course sometime after the rapture there will be a spectacular crowning day, the Second Coming, when the Lord returns to earth for a second time, this time as King. What a spectacular crowning time that too will be. Great days are ahead for all true believers. Let it be our goal to be faithful and look for His return. Maybe we should start each morning by saying, "Lord come quickly, may this be the crowning day". And one of these days, possibly soon, it will be. Are you ready?

1 Jesus may come today,

Glad day! Glad day!

And I would see my Friend;

Dangers and troubles would end

If Jesus should come today.

Refrain:

Glad day! Glad day!

Is it the crowning day?

I'll live for today, nor anxious be,

Jesus my Lord I soon shall see;

Glad day! Glad day!

Is it the crowning day?