GOD'S LENT CHILD

"I'll lend you for a little while a child of mine," God said,
"For you to love the while she lives, and mourn for when she's dead.
It may be six or seven years, or forty-two or three;
But will you, till I call her back, Take care of her for me?

"She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and should her stay be brief,
You'll have her lovely memories as a solace for your grief.
I cannot promise she will stay, since all from Earth return;
But there are lessons taught below that I want my children to learn.

"I've looked the whole world over, in my search for teachers true;
And from the things that crowd life's lane, I have chosen you.
Now will you give her all your love? Nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take this lent child back again? "

I fancied that I heard them say, "Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joys Thy child will bring, the risk of grief we'll run.
We will shelter her with tenderness, we'll love her while we may,
And for the happiness we've known, forever grateful stay;
But should Thy angels call for her much sooner than we'd planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.