When We All Get to Heaven
Words: Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (b. June 28, 1851; d. Apr. 24, 1920)
Music: Emily Divine Wilson (b. May 24, 1865; d. June 23, 1942)
Note: A school teacher, and a devoted Sunday School worker, Miss Hewitt was a close friend of Fanny Crosby’s, and also her cousin of Edgar Page Stites, who wrote the gospel song Trusting Jesus. When she was invalided for an extended period. Eliza Hewitt turned her attention to writing gospel songs, and she has given us some fine ones.
(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)
This is one of those simple gospel songs that contains some encouraging and challenging Bible truth. It begins with a joyous celebration of the promises of the Lord Jesus in John 14…
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14:2-3
(1) Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
In succeeding stanzas, Eliza Hewitt deals with three related themes. First (2) she reminds us that, though this life for the Christian may include suffering and sorrow, that will all be over when we go to our heavenly home. These thoughts surely encouraged her, in her long and painful suffering (from a back injury).
“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us….For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 4:17; cf. Rev. 21:4).
Since God has promised this glorious future to the saints, we should keep our present challenges in perspective. Let’s keep on keeping on. One glimpse of the Lord Jesus Christ will make whatever we must endure now all worthwhile (3).
(3) Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.
(4) seems to allude to Paul’s declaration in Philippians…
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended [attained what is expected of me]; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
Vs. 13 has been interpreted various ways. Some see it as a reference to the heavenly rewards Christians will receive at the judgment seat of Christ. Others see the upward summons of Christ itself to be the prize–as though it will be an indication that the individual’s life work has been completed successfully. Either way:
(4) Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
Questions:
- How (or why) is the soon return of Christ a motivating factor in our life and service for Christ?
- How (or why) will one glimpse of Christ make all of earth’s toil and challenges in our Christian lives worthwhile?
Links:
- 24 May 1865 -Emily Wilson Born
- When We All Get to Heaven (The Cyber Hymnal)