If I Had a Little Bucket of Water
by George Everard from Christian Living 1881 read by Christopher
Glynn 1. I must use life well, because
every moment of it is so precious. The minutes and hours of life
are like the gold dust, which the goldsmith so carefully gathers
together that none is lost. I have lost a day, was the sorrowful
lament of one who had learned the real value of time. Life
is very precious, and I dare not and will not throw any of
it away. 2. I must also use life well,
because it will soon be over. The time is short, 1 Corinthians
7.29. My days and years will soon be
spent, and I cannot recall them. My life is but a shadow, it is
but a vapour that appears for a little time, and then vanishes
away. Even if I am spared to the full
age of man, compared with the long life awaiting me hereafter,
my life on earth is but a moment. You have made my days a mere
hand-breath. The span of my years is as nothing
before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Psalm 39, 5. Let me endeavour
to remember how soon life will be gone, and be very careful
to use each precious moment well. If I had a little bucket of water,
and no more could be obtained, how carefully I would watch that
none of it ran to waste. I would reckon each drop of great
value. Such is my life. It is all I
have. I must therefore lose none, I
must squander none. So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90, 12. 3. I must use life well, because
it is very uncertain. I may have far less than I think,
I may be looking forward to years to come, and yet I may have but
a few months, or weeks, or days to live. I remember a woman who
said that some day she would begin to attend our village church. She was in middle age, and had
lived a sadly wicked and abandoned life. She thought that she had
time enough and to spare to think of more serious subjects. She
did indeed soon afterwards come to our village church. But how
did she come? She was carried in a casket on
men's shoulders and then left in the silent grave. Only six
weeks had passed since the day she promised that someday she
would begin a new life. Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Proverbs 27,
1. So I trust my life will not be
a wasted one. And though I can do but little
compared with many others, I trust that he will say to me at last,
Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful
over a little, I will set you over much. Enter into the joy
of your master. Matthew 25, 23. Therefore be careful how you
walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, redeeming the time. Ephesians 5, 15, 16.