  ’Tis not so hard to do what God desires, If, while we trust and labor on and pray, We look not back upon a Past decried, Nor forward to a Future yet untried, But do what Conscience prompts and soul requires, And live within the hours which make to-day. The Past is gone. The failure and the wrong We cannot expiate by vain regret; Forgiven have they been, and if to-day We wish to live more nearly as we pray, We must awake a grander, sweeter song Within those hours which have been given yet. While pondering o’er the failures of the then, We make a failure of the now and here; For life to-day shall lose it’s sunshine bright If it recalls the shadows of last night. While past mistakes possess the minds of men The heart itself will have no power to cheer. To-day we breathe, we move, we speak, we live, To-morrow’s sun for us may never rise. All that we do, or hope to do, or say, Must be confined within our short to-day, And all the blessings that our life can give Must be out-poured before the daylight dies. As we shall hope for nobler, higher things, While up life’s mount we seek the Heavenly way We must not measure, lest we may despair, The height to be yet gained by work and prayer; But like the lark, who soars and yet who sings, Make most of time God gives in our to-day. If future plans awaken thought and mind, And we shall say:—“Some day, some hour, not yet,” We rob the now of that divine reward Which follows duty, given us by God, And in to-day no pleasure shall we find; And thus to-day becomes a past regret. There falls upon us yet the morning light, And if to-day we gladly do our best, Our life itself will be most pure and sweet, For the to-days make up the life complete. The “little things” are pleasing in God’s sight, And humble duties nobly done bring rest. Then, Soul, awaken from thy drowsy sleep! Dream not of past nor yet of future days, But rouse thyself to-day to grander things. The smile, the word, the loving deed take wings To bear thy soul and others up the steep, Where Life Eternal sings its endless praise. |
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