He shall come

“What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

“At even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing.”

It may be in the evening,

When the work of the day is done,

And you have time to sit in the twilight,

And to watch the sinking sun;

While the long bright day dies slowly

Over the sea,

And the hour grows quiet and holy

With thoughts of Me;

While you hear the village children

Passing along the street,

Among these thronging footsteps

May come the sound of My feet;

Therefore I tell you, watch!

By the light of the evening star,

When the room is growing dusky

As the clouds afar;

Let the door be on the latch

In your home,

For it may be through the gloaming,

I will come.

It may be in the midnight

When ’tis heavy upon the land,

And the black waves lying dumbly

Along the sand;

When the moonless night draws close

And the lights are out in the house,

When the fires burn low and red,

And the watch is ticking loudly

Beside the bed;

Though you sleep tired on your couch,

Still your heart must wake and watch

In the dark room;

For it may be that at midnight

I will come.

It may be at the cock-crow,

When the night is dying slowly

In the sky,

And the sea looks calm and holy,

Waiting for the dawn of the golden sun

Which draweth nigh;

When the mists are on the valleys, shading,

The rivers chill,

And my morning star is fading, fading

Over the hill;

Behold, I say unto you, watch !

Let the door be on the latch

In your home,

In the chill before the dawning,

Between the night and morning,

I may come.

It may be in the morning

When the sun is bright and strong,

And the dew is glittering sharply

Over the little lawn,

When the waves are laughing loudly

Along the shore,

And the little birds are singing sweetly

About the door;

With the long day’s work before you

You are up with the sun,

And the neighbors come to talk a little

Of all that must be done;

But, remember, that I may be the next

To come in at the door,

To call you from your busy work,

For evermore.

As you work, your heart must watch,

For the door is on the latch

In your room,

And it may be in the morning

I will come.

So I am watching quietly

Every day,

Whenever the sun shines brightly

I rise and say,

Surely it is the shining of His face,

And look unto the gate of His high place

Beyond the sea,

For I know He is coming shortly

To summon me;

And when a shadow falls across the window

Of my room,

Where I am working my appointed task,

I lift my head to watch the door and ask

If He is come!

And the Spirit answers softly

In my home,

“Only a few more shadows,

And He will come.”