The Glorious (and terrible) Day of the Lord

Jeff Johnson wrote a great worship song that celebrates Jesus' life. The chorus, which is reproduced below, exemplifies the song.

Living He loved me
Dying He saved me
Buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified
Freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day

The last verse is primarily concerned with the future second coming of Jesus and it gets to me every time we sing it - not because it is unbiblical or theologically incorrect, but because it seems to leave out one important fact about the coming of Christ.

One day the trumpet will
Sound for His coming
One day the skies with His
Glories will shine
Wonderful day
My beloved was bringing
Glorious Savior this Jesus is mine

Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day
Oh, Glorious Day

Regardless of eschatological system, Christians believe that Jesus is returning. As a believer in and follower of Christ, I have the fortune of looking forward to the day that Christ returns as a glorious day. However, if I only celebrate the return of Christ as a "glorious day" I neglect one important fact about that day - it will be terrible for those who do not believe in or follow Christ. In fact, in the Old Testament, more ink was spent in discussing how the day of the Lord is a dreadful day than on how it will be glorious. For example:

"Woe to you who long
for the day of the LORD!
Why do you long for the day of the LORD?
That day will be darkness, not light." Amos 5:18

"The day of the LORD is great;
it is dreadful." Joel 2:11

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." Malachi 4:5-6

Let us not forget in our eager anticipation of Christ's return what it means for those separated from God. It is especially easy for Christians who neglect to share their faith to forget that the coming day of the Lord will be a terrible day. May we eagerly anticipate the return of the Lord while not forgetting our task to make that day terrible for fewer people.