Hymn 735 - Long Before the World is Waking

This weekend we continue to bask in the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. We will be reviewing one of the resurrection accounts of Jesus to His disciples, this one at the Sea of Galilee. Our hymn study will focus on a hymn that was written as a paraphrase of that account. It was written by a modern English hymn writer, who was ordained as a pastor in the Church of England. Timothy Dudley-Smith had a powerful influence on English hymnody in the last 50 years. 

The hymn is based on John 21:1-19, as Jesus appears to seven of His disciples while they are fishing on the Sea of Galilee. It reflects the Lord's call of four of those disciples three years earlier. Luke tells us: "But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink." (Luke 5:5-7).

This miraculous catch mirrored that earlier catch, when Jesus called them away from their nets, to be "Fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). The hymn text points to the failures of the disciples of Jesus during the past weeks, the doubts, the denial, yet Jesus comes with love and forgiveness for them, calling them back to His service once more. 

The hymn concludes by connecting the promise and commissioning of Jesus in this resurrection account to you and me: 

Morning breaks, and Jesus meets us,
Feeds and comforts, pardons still;
As His faithful friends He greets us,
Partners of His work and will.
All our days, on ev’ry shore,
Christ is ours forevermore!

Yes, indeed! Thanks be to God!

May our risen Lord's resurrection assure you of forgiveness for your sins, and remind you that your life has purpose as He calls you: "Follow Me!"