Lines For A Child Lent By God
Author Unknown
I'll lend you for a little while
A child of mine, He said,
For you to love the while he
lives,
And mourn when he is dead.
It may be six or seven years,
Or twenty-two or three,
But will you, till I call
him back,
Take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden
you,
And shall his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories
For solace in your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught
down there
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over
In my search for teachers true,
And from the throng that crowd
life's loves
I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your
love,
Nor think the labor vain,
nor hate me
When I come to call to take him
back again?
I fancied that I heard them say
Dear Lord, Thy will be
done.
For all the joy thy children
bring
The risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll live him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.
And shall the angels call for
him
Much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief
that comes,
And try to understand.