How Long, Lord?

This old hymn has been circling around in my head all day. As we see the crazy things happening in our world, and "the love of many has turned cold..." we wonder how long before the Lord will return...

Christ Returneth

H.L. Turner

1. It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,
   When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking,
   That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory
   To receive from the world “His own.”
   • Refrain:
     O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
     Ere we shout the glad song—
     Christ returneth! Hallelujah!
     Hallelujah! Amen.
     Hallelujah! Amen.
2. It may be at midday, it may be at twilight,
   It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight
   Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory,
   When Jesus receives “His own.”
3. Refrain
4. While hosts cry Hosanna, from heaven descending,
   With glorified saints and the angels attending,
   With grace on His brow, like a halo of glory,
   Will Jesus receive “His own.”
5. Refrain
6. Oh, joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying,
   No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying;
   Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
   When Jesus receives “His own.”

Refrain

O Lord Jesus, how long, how long

Ere we shout the glad song—

Christ returneth! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Amen.

Hallelujah! Amen.

Matthew 24:3-14

"3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for [a]all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, [b]pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

"O Lord Jesus, how long, how long

Ere we shout the glad song—

Christ returneth! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Amen.

Hallelujah! Amen."

I hope we are all ready...