REMEMBER YOUR HEART
A lady who lived in a very small town
Kept her house as clean
As the cleanest house that you could find
And surely the best I'd seen.
She always tended to her own affairs
And left other people's alone
She always gave to charity;
Her kindness and love were well known.
It seems she had a dream one night,
And Jesus did appear;
He said He was coming to this town next day,
He would stop to see her, never fear.
She awoke that night so happily,
She thought within herself;
I'll clean the rug and sweep the hearth
And dust off every shelf,
I'll show my Lord how hard I work,
I'm sure that He will say;
I'll give a crown of life to you
For working so hard this way.
When she was cleaning the porch next day,
A boy came up and said,
"Do you have a bite to eat,
Maybe just a slice of bread?"
Though she saw his need for food
And saw how lean he stood,
She said, "I'm cleaning for the Master now;
I don't see how I could."
After the boy had gone, she went back to her work,
Cleaning the step and all,
Trying to prepare her house
For the Master soon to call.
A poor old lady stumbled near
And let herself down slowly
Upon the step that had been swept
So clean and carefully.
"If I may but rest a bit,
I'll soon be on my way."
"But you can't rest here," the lady replied;
"The Master comes today."
The poor old lady arose
And painfully toddled away.
A voice called from across the street,
"Please come over here and stay,
My child is dying,and I must call
The doctor to come to see
What may be done for my poor child.
Won't you come and stay for me?"
"I cannot come today, I fear," she said
Swishing her broom at noon,
"For I must clean and be prepared;
The Master's coming soon."
The minutes grew longer and longer,
And hours passed away,
And as it grew dark, she thought;
The Master won'tcome today.
Not long after going to sleep
After finally going to bed,
In her dream Jesus came,
And this is what He said:
"You think I did not come,
But I came three times today,
And every time I called on you,
You scornfuly turned Me away.
I hungered, and ye gave Me no food;
You said your work was behind.
I sought rest upon your doorstep,
And no rest there could I find
Because you said I had to leave;
The step had just been cleaned.
I was sick,and ye visited Me not,
Though upon death's arm I leaned.
Though you cleaned your house and all for Me,
I will not come again
Until I know your heart's been cleaned
From all its selfish stain."
So if the Master should come and tell you
He'll come the very next day,
Remember your heart; it must be clean
Before He'll come to stay.
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