For repair, read return. In his final verse, Thompson portrays the young free Briton as a ‘Muse’, a person wandering the world in search of art and knowledge and then happily returning home to Britain’s happy coasts. Well, as we have seen this week, Britain isn’t always a happy country. We have all sorts of problems in our land and if asked to describe Britain, happy is not the first word I would choose to use. Still, I want to hang on to Thompson’s words here. I can sing along to them without problem because I can hold them as prophetic and turn them into prayer.
Our streets are not filled with dancing and our homes are not all filled with joy yet, but they were made to be and God does not abandon his purposes. Christians have always been praying for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth as in Heaven. It will come and as Habakkuk prophesied:
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14 [NIV]
Only then, in proper relationship with her creator, will Britain truly be the Sceptred Isle, the other Eden, the blessed plot that she was made to be. Her coasts will be inhabited by a happy breed of people and they will be truly free.
Having reached the end of the week, I thought we might enjoy some Proms together. You might recognise a hymn tune in the sea songs, and enjoy Rule Britannia.
Sea songs and Rule Britannia 2012
In the end, the flags of all the nations will be set before the lamb who is the High King of all the nations and he will reign over them forever and ever. That is our true destiny as a nation. In the meantime, have a blessed weekend.
John Martin-Jones
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