I Wonder

1. I wonder, when he comes again,

Will herald angels sing?

Will earth be white with drifted snow,

Or will the world know spring?

I wonder if one star will shine

Far brighter than the rest;

Will daylight stay the whole night through?

Will songbirds leave their nests?

I'm sure he'll call his little ones

Together 'round his knee,

Because he said in days gone by,

"Suffer them to come to me."

2. I wonder, when he comes again,

Will I be ready there

To look upon his loving face

And join with him in prayer?

Each day I'll try to do his will

And let my light so shine

That others seeing me may seek

For greater light divine.

Then, when that blessed day is here,

He'll love me and he'll say,

"You've served me well, my little child;

Come unto my arms to stay."

Words and music: Mirla Greenwood Thayne, 1907-1997

What if He has already come again? Maybe he is living in your home. Maybe he is one of the General Authorities. The Pope? (Verla's suggestion.)  Maybe he lives in Africa or Syria. Maybe he’s homeless. Or in a wheelchair. Maybe he’s rich. Royalty? When He came the first time, even with the miraculous signs, most of his countrymen didn’t recognize him or they wouldn’t have crucified him.

I only think of this because one still and shadowy night, I caught a glimpse of Ed rounding the corner from the bathroom back to his bedroom. It looked like he was in a robe. He wasn’t. He only wears pajamas but in the eerie darkness of the night, it struck me that it might have been Jesus. Just for a fleeting second. Long enough to imprint it on my memory so that when the choir sang “I Wonder when He Comes Again” on Christmas day, I looked at Ed sitting in the pews and wondered if He were already here in anonymity and obscurity. Somewhere. Maybe not here. Makes a person want to honor and respect the divine and teacher in everyone. Just in case.