This past Sunday at my church we introduced the song We Belong to the Day, written by Mike Morrow. It’s one of the many theologically rich songs coming our of Emu Music in Australia. I first taught it last April at the New Word Alive conference in Wales.
The song is based on 1 Thess. 5:2-10 and is about how anticipating the return of Christ motivates us to pursue holiness and share the gospel. This is the gist of what I shared to introduce the song:
“A few weeks ago there was quite a stir in the media about Jesus coming back, because someone had announced Jesus was returning at a specific time on a specific day. When Jesus didn’t come back (of course, because He told us that no one knows the day or the hour), a number of people laughed and mocked the incident, then went back to living their lives like normal. But the reality is, Jesus IS coming back. And when he does return, some of those laughing now won’t be laughing any more. Because the Bible promises that day will be a terrible time of wrath, judgment, and condemnation for those who refused to love the truth and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. But for those who have believed in Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Lord, that day will be the beginning of eternal joy and celebration forever.
Christians have always had questions about Jesus’ return. Paul addressed some of those questions in the fifth chapter of 1 Thessalonians. Here’s what he said [I had this projected on the screen because of its length]:
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
We want to teach you a new song this morning based on that passage. It reminds us that we belong to the day, referring to the Day of the Lord. We live with our eyes on that final day when sin will be judged and the righteous in Christ will be rewarded. But we belong to the day in another way. We belong to the day and not the night. We live with different values, different goals, and different desires than the world around us. Rather than participate in deeds of darkness, we expose them, and have a passion to share the good news of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice with others. And the fact that Jesus has returned is not a sign of God checking out, but rather his patience for all those who haven’t yet repented of their sins and trusted in Christ.”
Here are the lyrics:
1. We belong to the day
To the day that is to come
When the night falls away
And our Saviour will return
For the glory of the King is in our hearts
On that day we will be seen for what we are
2. We belong to the day
Let us journey in the light
Put on faith, put on love
As our armour for the fight
And the promise of salvation in our eyes
On that day the proud will fall, the faithful rise
CH: Strong as a mighty rock
Our refuge in the coming wrath
The heart of the bride belongs to Jesus, Jesus
The earth in its turning stops
To marvel at the Son of God
And all of that day belongs to Jesus, Jesus
3. We belong to the day
We were bought with Jesus’ blood
Soon he comes as the judge
In the power of his word
We must tell of his salvation while we wait
For the day when Jesus comes will be too late
BR: Oh, if ten thousand years go by we will wait
Let us tell of his great love, he will come
For his patience means salvation!
© 2006 Michael Morrow
We don’t have many modern worship songs that talk about the return of Christ and the coming judgement in such a clear, biblical, hope-filled way. (Here are a few others.)
And thanks to Philip Percival, who heads up Emu Music, you can download the MP3, lead sheet, and guitar chart for free.
Bob,
You should check out Nathan Partain’s stuff. He writes some of the most Biblically rich songs that I’ve heard. He also shares the recordings and chord sheets for free. Here’s a song that is just amazing: http://partainwordsandmusic.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/a-son-of-god/
Hi Bob,
I really like the lines in verse 3:
“We must tell of his salvation while we wait
For the day when Jesus comes will be too late”
Do you know any other songs that pick up this idea of being entrusted with the gospel, and taking it forth?
Cheers,
Jono
I love songs on this theme (Andy Park’s “Night and Day” comes to mind.)
Refreshing lyrics, thank you for this post and sharing the song.
Woohoo. A song written when Michael was at my church in Canberra, Australia – http://crossroads.asn.au
Thanks for linking it. We love playing it.