DAY 11

NOT A ONE-OFF

“Once in Royal David’s City,” emphasizes both the human and divine nature of Jesus.  He is “God and Lord of all” and “day by day, like us He grew.”   This song leads us finally to where our hope resides.  Our hope does not reside in a child.  That child grew and became a man.  Our hope lies in his second advent.  His first arrival was as a child born in weakness and humility.  But this is not how we will see him in his second coming.  The final verse says,

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

At Christmas time, we do not celebrate the memory of a child born over 2,000 years ago.  Through faith we celebrate that he did not stay a child.  He became a man and purchased our salvation.  We celebrate that his coming was not a one-off, but that he will again return for us one day.  On that day, he will appear not as child, but as the victorious King that he is.  On that day, he will take us to be with him forever.  So when Jesus says, “Yes, I am coming soon,” we join with the apostle John and say, “Amen.  Come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

In this Advent season, meditate on the hope of the seconded coming of our Lord.

Once in Royal David’s City

Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.

For he is our childhood’s pattern;
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.