The King's Garden

    A certain king had a spacious and beautiful flower garden which he left to the care of a faithful servant, who delighted in caring for each plant tenderly and lovingly. One morning the servant rose with joy to care for the king's flowers. To his surprise, he found one of his choicest beauties cut from its stem and gone. Looking about, he missed several other prized and precious flowers! Full of grief and anger, he approached his fellow-servants and demanded who had taken away his treasures. They had not done it, and he found no solace for his grief until one of them remarked, “My lord, the king was walking in the garden this morning, and I saw him pluck the flowers and carry them to his court.” The servant was comforted that the master had been pleased to take his own flowers, and he went his way smiling at his loss because his lord had taken them. So, you and I have lost those whom we love with much tender affection. They are gone from our sight and touch. But remember, the Lord has taken those flowers which are His, which he loaned to us for a while, which we shall one day see again in his court, never to be separated again. Let this be your comfort and do not yield yourselves to an excess of grief.