An arid waste, so bleak, so drear—
'Tis surely life-forsaken here!
The eager eye in vain looks 'round.
In vain the ear awaits some sound
That tells of life—and waits and longer waits—
Stands still, and waits again, to prove
The truth, the all sufficiency of Love.
And as faith humbly steadfast stands,
Behold, behold! God's gentle rain
Falls silent on the barren sands!
And still faith waits—it cannot be,
When God's rain falls so ceaselessly,
When laws of Life rule everywhere.
This waste alone no fruit will bear?
Nay, let faith wait—and longer wait—
Behold, behold!
Yonder a tiny leaf unfold.
And here a blade of grass, and there,
Till earth grows verdant everywhere!
And faith with waiting stronger grows—
Rejoice, rejoice!
The whole world echoes back her voice
Of praise to God; for well she knows
That fruitful, pure, and sturdy blows
The Mower upon the arid plain.
When watered by God's patient rain.
Poems
[Written for the Journal.]
FAITH
From the March 1910 issue of The Christian Science Journal
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