The Master stood in His garden,
Among the lilies fair,
Which His own right hand had planted,
And trained with tend'rest care.
***
He looked at their snowy blossoms,
And marked with observant eye
That the flowers were sadly drooping,
For their leaves were parched and dry.
***
"My lilies need to be watered,"
The Heavenly Master said'
"Wherein shall I draw it for them,
And raise each drooping head?"
***
Close to his feet on the pathway,
Empty, and frail, and small,
An earthen vessel was lying,
Which seemed no use at all;
***
But the Master saw, and raised it
From the dust in which it lay,
And smiled, as He gently whispered,
"This shall do My work today:
***
"It is but an earthen vessel,
But it lay so close to Me;
It is small, but it is empty-
That is all it needs to be."
***
So to the fountain He took it,
And filled it full to the brim;
How glad was the earthen vessel
To be of some use to Him!
***
He poured forth the living water
Over His lilies fair,
Until the vessel was empty,
And again He filled it there.
***
He watered the drooping lilies
Until they revived again;
And the Master saw with pleasure
That His labor had not been vain.
***
His own hand had drawn the water
Which refreshed the thirsty flowers;
But He used the earthen vessel
To convey the living showers.
***
And to itself it whispered,
As He laid it aside once more,
"Still will I lie in His pathway,
Just where I did before.
***
"Close would I keep to the Master,
Empty would I remain,
And perhaps some day He may use me
To water His flowers again."
UNKNOWN
