Our students sing “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” at the beginning of every school day in December. Their sweet voices singing in harmony inadvertently cause me to question everything.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free;

The first line has me wondering if I long for this expected Jesus. He was born to set me free, but what I long for more on most days is to not be interrupted, to not have to spend so much at H-E-B, for something to JUST.BE.EASY, and for the love, can I get caught up on the laundry? So trivial and trite. Come, thou long expected Jesus.

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

I can’t go to sleep again because I forgot that I’m trusting Jesus for everything, everyday. Come, thou long expected Jesus.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Oh Israel. I can hardly look. But there you are, hoping.

Joy, is that what every heart longs for? Seems safe to say yes. We just don’t know how to get it, so we look for it everywhere, but in the one place it is found. Come, thou long expected Jesus.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

Grace. Isn’t this the thing that we want to receive, but usually don’t want to give? Come, thou long expected Jesus.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

All. Alone. Not to be confused with all alone. All as in complete; alone as in none other. My heart can be ruled by none other than the Jesus in this song. My merit is not needed because His merit is sufficiently enough. His throne is glorious, far surpassing what I call glorious- a prepared cup of coffee served at 2 pm, a sunrise or sunset, a clean house, or a productive day. No, I don’t think any of that will be sitting on a throne, only bowing to it, someday. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.

With one more mention of “By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne,” I am brought back to where I started… Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.