Just a Little While

Soon this life will all be over,
And our pilgrimage will end.
Soon we’ll take our heav’nly journey,
Be at home again with friends
Heaven’s gates are standing open
Waiting for our entrance there
Some sweet day we’re going over
All the beauties there to share.

Chorus
Just a Little while to stay here
Just a little while to wait
Just a little while to labor
In the path that’s always straight
Just a little more of trouble
In this low and sinful state
Then we’ll enter Heaven’s portals,
Sweeping thru the pearly gates.

Soon we’ll see the light of morning
Then the new day will begin
Soon we’ll hear the Father calling,
“Come my children, enter in.”
Then we’ll hear a choir of angels
Singing out the vict’ry song,
All our troubles will be ended
And we’ll live with heaven’s throng

Soon we’ll meet again our loved ones
And we’ll take them by the hand,
Soon we’ll press them to our bosom
Over in the promised land;
Then we’ll be at home forever,
Thru-out all eternity,
What a blessed, blessed morning
That eternal morn shall be.

Number 140 in the Red-back hymnal and written by E.M. Bramlett in the 1920’s, this is one of those toe-tapping, clap your hand songs that will have you whistling the tune all day long.  I find it interesting how a song that starts out talking about our life that will soon be over, can have such an upbeat tune and cause you to not only smile, but also puts a spring in your step.  It is also a song that has a great bass line in the chorus that makes me smile.  If you are unfamiliar with this song, take a look at this youtube video featuring the Gaither Homecoming Friends.

For unbelievers, it may seem really strange to have a song about dying that has such an upbeat tune.  But as a Christian, these thoughts do go hand in hand.  For those of us that have accepted Christ’s grace and will one day share in His Resurrection, dying should not be a morbid or scary thought.  We should, as Paul reminded us, view dying as “gain.”  We are not a people without hope.  We shouldn’t be people that dread coming to the end of our journey.  We are Christians.  We have been given eternal life.  And that is why I believe we can sing with confidence and with a “spring in our step,” we have just a little while to labor and wait.

Couple of comments on the lyrics:

• “Pilgrimage will end” – I think one of the keys to understanding trials and troubles in this life is to recognize that we are pilgrims.  Hebrews 11:13, the Faith Hall of Fame, tells us about the heroes of the faith and tells us what kind of people they were when they walked the earth.  “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”  These heroes of the faith listed in the early part of Hebrews 11 did not live to see the Promised Land or see their descendants that outnumbered the stars, but they had faith in God and were considered strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  If we too view our earthly lives as a pilgrimage and not our permanent home, we too can sing with them about that Promised Land that the Lord has provided for us.

• “Soon we’ll meet again our loved ones” – Have you lost a family member or friend that you miss dearly?  One that you wish you had another 24 hours, or 30 days, or one year to spend with them?  I am sure there is someone like that in your life.  The amazing thing about the Gospel message is that we can endure the temporary loss of these loved ones for “a little while,” because we have been promised eternal life.  As the song reminds us, we will one day get to hold their hand again, and hug their necks, and we will worship with them forever at the feet of Jesus.  What a promise and word of encouragement to us!!

Do you remember the Disney movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?”  There was a song that the dwarfs sang that as a kid I thought made no sense at all.  “Whistle While You Work.”  When I was a kid, whistling had little impact on the fact that I hated to do my chores.  How would simply whistling change my attitude about the work?  Well, as I have matured (at least a little bit), I have realized that a positive attitude does impact my work.  Working with a good attitude surrounded by people with good attitudes really makes a difference.

So, can you “whistle while you work” in the Kingdom?  Can you, because of the hope you have within you, embrace the work of the Lord that can be difficult and challenging at times?  Can you take an eternal perspective about the “light and temporary” trials that we endure on this earth?  That is one of the beautiful things about great old songs like “Just a little while.”  They combine truth with music to lift our spirits and encourage us in the Lord.  I hope today that the thoughts of Heaven and seeing loved ones again can bless you today, and I pray that this song written 80 years ago can touch your heart and help you “whistle while you work.”