It’s not hard to find hymns that express the Christian hope for the future (wrongly) as a hope to escape this world and spend eternity far away in heaven. A prime example of this is James M Black’s 1893 hymn When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. I’ve taken the liberty of making a few changes (in bold). I’m not too keen on “in glory” in place of “up yonder”, but it was the best I could do. Let me know what you think…
When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and death shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather here and all shall be restored,
And the roll is called in glory, I’ll be there.When the roll is called in glory,
When the roll is called in glory,
When the roll is called in glory,
When the roll is called in glory, I’ll be there.On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather from their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called in glory, I’ll be there.When the roll...
Let us labour for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all our toil is over, and our suffering is done,
And the roll is called in glory, I’ll be there.When the roll...