The Darkness Shall Turn to Dawning

My lauds hymn this morning is My Life Flows On. I have to confess that in 2020 I have had a hard time hearing “the clear though far off hymn that hails a new creation.” However, as the calls for justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder have persisted and seem to be awakening some openness to addressing deeply engrained violent injustice, I think I am finding “an echo in my soul.”

As I was showering this morning, knowing I would be singing My Life Flows On, I heard the echo of the refrain of We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations from my childhood.

For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

I looked it up and found the verses speaking powerfully to our present situation in ways I was completely unaware of when I was growing up. So I share them here as an affirmation of the call for the justice of the Kingdom of God springing from the soil of the beginning of my journey with Jesus.

We've a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.

(Refrain)

2. We've a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil
and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword.
(Refrain)

3. We've a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
hath sent us his Son to save us,
and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love.
(Refrain)

4. We've a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow hath trod,
that all of the world's great peoples
might come to the truth of God,
might come to the truth of God.

(Refrain)