Hymn of the Week: To The Work

With Labor Day weekend upon us, a hymn about "Work" seemed an appropriate choice. When searching for such a hymn, I encountered this one, previously unfamiliar to me, in a familiar hymnal.

Every one of us who claim the name of Christ should be actively working to do His will. We often confuse work with the "supervisor who sits around" or the office guy who fritters away his day playing computer games and surfing the internet. This is not Christ's idea of work, particularly spiritual work.

Spiritual work involves a variety of activities: Praying, reading and studying Scripture, witnessing, doing good works, serving others, training up children, and much more. What spiritual work are you doing today? What will you be doing tomorrow?

Notice, too, that the hymn is upbeat: Work is not perceived as a burden, nor a duty—it is spoken of in a manner that encourages and uplifts the worker.

What spiritual work are you doing?

To The Work

To the work! To the work! We are servants of God;
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.

Refrain

Toiling on, toiling on,
Toiling on, toiling on,
Let us hope and trust,
Let us watch and pray,
And labor till the Master comes.

To the work! To the work! Let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the weary be led;
In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, “Salvation is free!”

Refrain

To the work! To the work! There is labor for all;
For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;
And the love of our Father exalted shall be,
In the loud swelling chorus, “Salvation is free!”

Refrain

To the work! To the work! In the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward,
When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed, “Salvation is free!”

Refrain