‘Tis but a speck of time at best,
A quickly measured span—so small
That in that long eternity of rest
‘Twill cease—‘twill fade far past recall.
We surely shall look back and trace
Our footsteps in the wilderness;
Wond’ring at all His patient grace,
At all His love and faithfulness.
‘Twill but add fullness to our praise,
In learning then His guiding hand
Which led us in our pilgrim days
Right onward to the looked-for land.
And there we may look back and meet
A child who oft would sigh and say.
“How long, Ο Lord!—these bleeding feet
Are weary with the rugged way.”
For here we cannot always know
His ways,—but, there Himself shall tell
How that in days of weal and woe
He led us, doing all things well.
And now we look beyond brief time,
Counting its griefs as naught compared
With joys unknown, save in you clime
Of gladness now for us prepared.
And what though griefs and cares oppress—
Look up and catch His tender smile,
Telling in all thy weariness
“‘Tis only for a little while.”
A little while—He’ll come again,
A little while to serve Him here.
And then the King Himself shall deign
To serve thee, wiping off each tear.
E’en now at times we catch a gleam
Of glory from the living light,
And hail with joy that star whose beam
Heralds a dawn that knows not night.