Marsha J Johansen – Going Home

Marsha J Johansen is a layman who found some issues with the song.  She disagreed theologically with some of the lyrics to William Arms Fisher’s song Going Home and took a stab at fixing it. Questionable statements such as “Mother’s there ‘xpecting me, father’s waiting, too” and “Lots of folks gathered there, all the friends I knew” were removed altogether.  Her hope is to “breathe new life into this beautiful song”.

The music for this piece is from the Largo movement of Dvorak’s Symphony From the New World (1893).

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1. What message does the song communicate?

Marsha J Johansen is speaking from the perspective of entering eternity in her immortal, imperishable body with Jesus.  Details included are:

• Trumpet blasts
• Coming soon
• No more worrying
• Other believers will be there, those to whom Jesus knows personally
• No more crying, pain, tears, work, or doubting
• Jesus is the Morning star whose illumination removes shade
• Crown of life given to Johansen
• Jesus already came back
• Johansen will see Him
• Christ is Johansen’s home

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The entire song is Biblical.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

This song contains no headers as there is no structure to the lyrics that were given to me.

Going home, going home,
I am going home;
Trumpet blast splits the sky,

That is, Johansen is entering into eternal life post-trumpet sound.  This is summarized in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

I am going home.

Repeats line 2.

It’s not far, just close by,

This is because the Kingdom of God, post-death, will be coming from heaven to earth (Revelation 21:2).

Through the narrow gate.

Spoken by Jesus in Matthew 7:13.

Work well done, cares laid down,

Johansen will hear from God “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21 and Matthew 25:23), with cares and worries already placed on Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30).

Going to doubt no more.

The promise in 2 Peter 3:4 has come to fruition.

Jesus there expecting me,
My Father’s waiting too.

They wait patiently (2 Peter 3:9).

Lots of faces gathered there,

References the great multitude in Revelation 7:9.

All who Jesus knew,

That is, people He knew relationally (John 15:1-11, Acts 17:27, Romans 8:15, Romans 11:16-24, and Philippians 3:8-10).

All who Jesus knew.

Repeats previous line.

Home, I am going home!

Essentially repeats line 2.

No more crying, no more pain,
No more tears from sin’s dark stain,

Borrows from Revelation 21:4.

No more stumbling by the way,
No more longing for the day,
For Jesus came today!

We would no longer look forward to Jesus’ second coming because it would have happened already (Matthew 24:43, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Corinthians 11:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 16:15, and Revelation 19:11-16).

Morning Star lights the way,

Jesus identifies Himself as the Morning Star in Revelation 22:16.

To His arms I rise.

That is, to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Shadows flee the break of day,

Jesus’ light drives out darkness (Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9).

Crown of life my prize.

References Revelation 2:10.  This is often called the “Martyr’s Crown”.

There’s no break, there is no end,
Forever living on;

References eternal life with God (Mark 10:29-30, John 3:15-16, John 3:36, John 4:14, John 5:24, John 5:39-40, John 6:27, John 6:40, John 10:28, John 17:3, John 20:31, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:22-23, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Galatians 6:8, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:11, Hebrews 5:9, 1 Peter 5:10, 1 John 2:23-27, 1 John 5:10-13, 1 John 5:20, Jude 1:20-21, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 7:16-17, and Revelation 21:3-4).

Robed in white with joyous song,

The Martyrs in Revelation 6:11 and Revelation 7:14 are given a white robe.  So does the great multitude in Revelation 7:9.  It seems reasonable to think we Christ-followers will as well.

His face to gaze upon.

This is Psalm 27:4 realized.

Going home, going home,
I am going home!

Essentially repeats line 2.

Sharing in my Savior’s joy,
Jesus is my home,
My eternal home!

Christ is Johansen’s refuge (Genesis 15:1, Deuteronomy 33:29, 2 Samuel 22:3, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 12:5, Psalm 18:1-3, Psalm 20:1, Psalm 27:1-5, Psalm 28:7, Proverbs 30:5, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 34:19, Psalm 46:1-3, Psalm 57:1, Psalms 59:1, Psalm 71:1-6, Psalm 84:11, Psalm 89:18, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 115:9, Psalm 121:1-8, Psalm 140:4, Proverbs 14:26, Proverbs 18:10, Isaiah 41:10, 1 Corinthians 10:13, and 2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will think Christians are going home to be with Jesus, whose name is explicitly given throughout this song.  Johansen’s language is everyday, adding to the ease of unbeliever interpretation.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

This song glorifies Jesus as the One to whom we await, adore, and look forward to seeing.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Marsha J Johansen’s Going Home is a valiant effort to fix William Arms Fisher’s song of the same name.  She is correct to remove Fisher’s dubious lyrics.  She also adds references Jesus’ triumphant return, our completed work, and that Christ will be waiting for us.  These glorify God.  Unbelievers should be able to easily interpret this song.

I recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Going Home

Artist: Marsha J Johansen

Album:  N/A

Genre: Hymn

Release Year: 2023

Duration: N/A

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*No copyright information available.  The original song is public domain.