Sing the Victory!

I remember as a young child, probably around 5 years old, loving Sunday nights at church when we would call out our favorite hymns to sing. I always liked, "When the Roll is Called up Yonder". As a little girl I knew the words to almost all the hymns, but it's only been more recently that I've found great comfort and hope in the words of some of the old hymns.

It almost never fails, when I find a hymn that seems to speak to me in my darkest times, I will find that the hymn writer also suffered their share of sorrows. I've been thinking about the words of "When We All Get to Heaven" lately.

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessed
He’ll prepare for us a place.

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,

Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Refrain

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

These were not just words for the hymn writer Eliza Edmunds Hewitt. Mrs. Hewitt, a school teacher, suffered from a debilitating, painful spinal problem after being hit by a student with a piece of slate. She recovered some, but was an invalid most of her life. (Source)

Before chronic pain, I knew heaven was a wonderful place, but honestly I wanted to live my life here on Earth first...get married, have kids, and then go see Jesus. But now, I feel like I can sing words like,  "when we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory" with a greater understanding and desire. It's not just that in heaven they'll be no more tears or pain (Revelation 21:1-4), although I look forward to that time greatly, but as the song says, "when we see Jesus". He is the great reward...not the "mansions", streets of gold, or even eternal life.

And when those who have trusted in Jesus as their Savior get to Heaven, it will be a victory, won't it? Both the consummation of Jesus' victory over death and the victory, that by God's grace we fought the good fight of faith and endured this life with all it's trials and temptations.

This song reminds us that this world will be hard, "while we walk the pilgrim pathway, clouds will overspread the sky", but one look at Jesus will make it all worth it, "just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay". Be encouraged faithful soldiers as you press on today...this life is not the end!

What's your favorite hymn or a hymn that brings gret comfort in discouraging times?