Music in my lifetime has evolved from hymns to worship songs. And there has been plenty between. Christian rap and rock have found their place in hearts around the world and have presented God’s message with people who might not have listened to traditional music.

I am not sure Paul quite realized what would become of music when he penned the words in Ephesians 5:19-20, but I’m certain that God did. God knew that the realm of music would be a wonderful method to spread His message. And He was correct.

Composers have used their talents to bring God’s message to others. And what a message it is! Love, hope, forgiveness, grace, peace, acceptance, and this list could continue. I’ve thanked God for composers my entire life, for with their abilities we have beauty. Christian song writers not only have the possibility of beautiful music, but they also have a promising message to add to it.

So today, I am thankful for Bill and Gloria Gaither and for all the music they have written through their lifetimes. It was difficult to choose just one, but in the end, I chose their famous anthem, “The King is Coming.”

“The King is Coming”

The marketplace is empty,
No more traffic in the streets,
All the builders’ tools are silent,
No more time to harvest wheat;
Busy housewives cease their labors,
In the courtroom no debate,
Work on earth is all suspended
As the King comes thro’ the gate.

(Chorus)

Happy faces line the hallways,
Those whose lives have been redeemed,
Broken homes that He has mended,
Those from prison He has freed;
Little children and the aged
Hand in hand stand all aglow,
Who were crippled, broken, ruined,
Clad in garments white as snow.

(Chorus)

I can hear the chariots rumble,
I can see the marching throng,
The flurry of God’s trumpets
Spells the end of sin and wrong:
Regal robes are now unfolding,
Heaven’s grandstand’s all in place,
Heaven’s choir now assembled,
Start to sing “Amazing Grace!”

Chorus

O the King is coming,
The King is coming!
I just heard the trumpets sounding,
And now His face I see;
O the King is coming,
The King is coming!
Praise God, He’s coming for me![i]

You’ll want to listen to this one today. Click here.

What hope! What joy! What excitement! The King is coming!

We don’t know when, but we do know it is going to happen. This message has driven mankind through the past 2,000 years. Jesus would return and He would take us with Him this time.

I know there are people who believe we are in the end times and believe Jesus’ return is close, and we may very well be in those times. But there are people who are focused only on that thought.

I believe that there are happenings in our world that could be understood as fulfillment of prophesies in Scripture, but no more so than what has occurred throughout the past 2,000 years. With television, radio and internet, we hear of these happenings the instance they occur. We hear of wars and earthquakes and killings immediately in our world today and it seems like there are more than there used to be. But there really isn’t.

This has been my belief for quite a while. Scripture tells us that no one knows when Jesus will return (Mark 13:32). So why focus on that when we do know what we are to do?

Jesus gave us a mission in Matthew 28:19-20. God gave us guidelines to live by in Galatians 5:16-26, Ephesians 4:17-5:21, Philippians 2:1-18, and Colossians 3:1-25 just to name a few.

You see, why should I worry about the things I don’t know when there are plenty of things I do know that need my attention? I need to be ready for Christ’s return. That’s where my focus should remain.

Oh the thought of Jesus coming today is a glorious one and nothing would make me happier. But that cannot be the only thing that is on my mind today.

My path will cross with someone who doesn’t know Jesus today. I am certain of it. If my mission in life is to share God’s good news with others, I must be searching for those who need a Savior.

There also may be an area of my life that needs some attention. If I’m focused on the passages above, I will recognize those areas and allow God’s Spirit to help me refine them.

As a believer in Christ, we have a great hope. The King is coming! And that day is going to be a glorious day. There is no doubt about it.

But what are you doing until His return? Are you making an impact on this world? In other’s lives? Are you living a holy life? Do you shine like the stars in your world? Are you pressing on toward to the goal? Are you living as a child of the Light? Do you live by the Spirit?

Have you made a disciple?

The King is coming! But we must not sit by and wait for His return. Paul’s words are recorded in Galatians 6:9 (NIV) as an encouragement to all believers. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Jesus will return. But we must continue to do the good while we wait. And when Jesus returns, we will receive all that He promised. Praise God! Jesus is coming for me!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] The King is Coming, Gloria Gaither, William J. Gaither and Charles Millhuff, 1970