2 Cor. iv. 6, 7.
God
in heaven hath a treasure,
Riches
none may count or
tell;
Hath
a deep eternal pleasure,
Christ,
the Son He loveth
well.
God
hath here on earth a treasure,
None
but He its price may
know--
Deep
unfathomable pleasure,
Christ
revealed in saints
below.
Christ,
the light that fills the heavens
Shining
forth on earth
beneath,
Through
His Spirit freely given
Light
of life 'midst shades of
death;
Down
from heaven's unclouded glory
God
Himself the treasure
brought,
Closing
thus His love's sweet story
With
His sweetest, deepest
thought.
God,
in tongues of fire descending,
Chosen
vessels thus to
fill
With
the treasure never ending,
Ever
spent--unfailing
still.
Still
unwasted, undiminished
Though
the days of dearth wear
on,
Store
eternally unfinished--
Fresh,
as if but now
begun.
Earthen
vessels, marred, unsightly,
But
the treasure as of
old,
Fresh
from glory, gleaming brightly,
Heaven's
undimmed, unchanging
gold.
God's
own hand the vessel filling
From
the glory far
above,
Longing
hearts for ever stilling
With
those riches of His
love.
Thus,
through earthen vessels only,
Shining
forth in ceaseless
grace,
Reaching
weary hearts and lonely,
Beams
the light in Jesu's
face.
Vessels
worthless, broken, bearing
Through
the hungry ages
on,
Riches
given with hand unsparing,
God's
great gift, His precious
Son.
Thus,
though worn, and tried, and tempted,
Glorious
calling, saint, is
thine;
Can
the Lord but find thee emptied,
That
is all He seeks to
find.
Vessels
of the world's despising,
Vessels
weak, and poor, and
base,
Bearing
wealth God's heart is prizing,
Glory
from Christ's blessed
Face.
Oh
to be but emptier, lowlier,
Mean,
unnoticed, and
unknown,
And
to God a vessel holier,
Filled
with Christ, and Christ
alone!
Nought
of earth to cloud the glory,
Nought
of self the light to
dim,
Telling
forth His wondrous story,
Emptied--to
be filled with
Him!
P. G.