A hymn, not so much sung by us, but sung by the whole creation. We know what we think about God’s redemptive work, but if the whole creation could sing, what would its song be? What is the whole creation’s hymn of hope? What does the whole creation think about the prospect of Christ’s return?
You could be forgiven for thinking that the whole creation might be somewhat ambivalent about the future. True, at the present time the creation is groaning in pain, but on the Day of the Lord won't the whole creation be disposed of completely, as the Lord takes his people "home" and consigns his creation to the flames of destruction? If that is the picture, what would creation sing? "Creation longs for his return, when Christ shall 'put it out of its misery' and annihilate it"?
Not at all. Creation longs for Christ's return, because God's plan is not to destroy his creation, but to remove the dross from it, to purify it by fire, and to set it free. No wonder the rivers and hills rejoice at the thought of God coming to put everything right!
Here's the final verse of Creation sings the Father's song, by Keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend:
Creation longs for His return,
When Christ shall reign upon the earth;
The bitter wars that rage
Are birth pains of a coming age.
When He renews the land and sky,
All heav'n will sing and earth reply
With one resplendent theme: The glories of our God and King!
And here's the whole thing: