I Have Work Enough To Do - 224

Lyrics

1. I have work enough to do,

Ere the sun goes down,

For myself and kindred too,

Ere the sun goes down:

Ev’ry idle whisper stilling

With a purpose firm and willing,

All my daily tasks fulfilling,

Ere the sun goes down.

There are too many things to do in a day. We have so many tasks to accomplish, both for ourselves and for our families. Are we taking the time everyday to complete those task. Are we giving our days a purpose, or are we just living the day without doing anything meaningful?

2. I must speak the loving word,

Ere the sun goes down.

I must let my voice be heard,

Ere the sun goes down:

Ev’ry cry of pity heeding,

For the injured interceding,

To the light the lost ones leading,

Ere the sun goes down.

What kind of meaningful things can we do in our day? Well here are some examples: 

• Speak the loving word
• Let our voice be heard
• Heed every cry of pity
• Intercede for the injured
• Lead the lost ones to the light

Those are wonderful suggestions of things we can do to have a meaningful day! How can we lose our times watching TV, playing video games, on Nextflix and chill nights, or scrolling through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? Maybe we can commit this year to first do these meaningful things before the sun goes down, and then if we have more time, we can do all those other fun but less important things.

3. As I journey on my way,

Ere the sun goes down,

God’s commands I must obey,

Ere the sun goes down.

There are sins that need confessing;

There are wrongs that need redressing

If I would obtain the blessing,

Ere the sun goes down.

What would be other important things to do in our day, "ere the sun goes down", not only on each of our mortal days, but on our day of this life? Here are some more suggestions:

• Obey God's commands
• Confess sins
• Redress wrongs

This is the time to learn to obey god, to repent of our sins and to repair what we have done wrong. If we don't do it now, it might be harder in the next life. 

Are we taking each day the time to repent, the time to obey, the time to do good, to time to bless others? Are things simple but meaningful things on our daily check lists, or are we filling it with worthless tasks that won't take us anywhere.

May we understand that we have work enough to do, and prioritize that work each day of our lives, that we may be ready to obtain the blessing "ere the sun goes down".

Scriptures

Alma 34:32-35

For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

This is the time to prepare, this is the time to work on that work we have to do. Let's not procrastinate, but do good and repent every day.

D&C 88:123-125

See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires. Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than in needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

I love this. Because we have so much work to do, there are many things that we must avoid because they might be taking to much of this precious time. How much time we lose being covetous, being idle, unclean, finding fault in others, sleeping longer than is needful, being weary? Instead we could just love others, impart one to another, arise early with invigorated bodies and minds (which will help us to be more productive). Can we understand the importance of this scripture when we have just study that hymn. There is a lot of work to do, cease to be idle! Cease to lose your time in those behaviors that are taking our time away.

Instead, "clothe yourself with the bond of charity". Do we want to perfect ourselves to be more like our Savior? Do we want peace? Than we must have charity! Charity is a magnificient work to do in this life that will bring us blessings today, and for eternities. May we use our time with charity that our lives may have a meaningful purpose.

About the author

Josephine Pollard (1834-1892)

An american hymn writer, author and poet. She published over a hundred hymns, and wrote numerous popular children's books mostly on religious and historical topics. She worked as an editor for the Sunday School Times and worked for the Methodist Book Concern, where she edited a magazine intended for African Americans. Pollard also wrote for the other children's magazines such as The Little Corporal. Her poetry was published in a number of magazines. Some of her children's poetry was collected in the book Elfin land published in 1882. 

She was born in New York City, one of seven children of architect Calvin Pollard and his wife Electra. She atended the Springler Institute, an exclusive girls' school. She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church, and attended the North Presbyterian Church on Ninth Avenue. She was a founding member of the professional women's club Sorosis. She never married. She died after a long illness.