Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
This
past weekend, Suanne and I drove to Ohio to visit my sister-in-law. We went to
encourage her and to help her continue to process the death of her husband, my
brother. During our conversation, she mentioned that they had wanted to take a
cruise in Alaska; it was on their bucket list. Then she commented, we thought
we had more time. One of the things that the death of my brother has brought to
the forefront is that we all have limited time, and none of us know when that
time will be up.
In Psalm
90, Moses reflects upon the temporary and transient nature of our lives.
Although time goes on, our time does not. In light of eternity our lives are
just a dot, a blip on the timeline of history. As Moses says, “The length of
our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span
is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” Psalm
90:10 (NIV) Then one verse later he asks God to “Teach us to number our days
aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
The
average lifespan of a person living in America today is still only in the 70’s
or 80’s, even though more people are living into their 90’s and even 100’s.
Even if a person lives to be 100, their life is still fleeting. We look back
across our life and wonder where the time went. We often speak of children
growing up so fast, yet all of us are traveling at the same speed. The
difference is that most of the time we are not paying attention. One day we are
21 with hopes and dreams for our life ahead, and the next day we are 70 and
wondering what happened.
Moses
calls us to wake up and take the measure of our days. Each day is either an
investment in something greater or an expenditure that is gone forever. How we
spend our days matters to God and it should matter to us. He has given us a
certain number of days to build a godly character that will be fully realized
in eternity. We have limited time to invest in things that really matter. Moses
says, be wise in how you use your time.
James is
a little more blunt as he calls us to get our act together.
Now listen, you
who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year
there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what
will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a
little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the
Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and
brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good
he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James 4:13-17 (NIV)
James is
reminding us that we are not in total control of out time. We can make our
plans, but it is God’s plan that will ultimately prevail. If our plans are
selfish, they will amount to nothing in the end. But if we submit our plans to
God and allow Him to guide us, our plans will be productive.
Paul chimes into the conversation by encouraging us to
make the most of the time God has given to us. Be very careful, then, how you
live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because
the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV) We could rephrase Paul’s last line to say, because the
days are short.
Someone
has said, the problem with life is that it is so daily. One moment follows another,
followed by another. We cannot hit pause or rewind. Time goes on no matter what
we do. It is unrealistic to try to live every moment of every day in some kind
of significant, meaningful activity. But we can, in broad brush strokes, live
our lives intentionally, seeking to honor God and serve others by how we live. We
only have so many days on this earth. We should learn to live them wisely.
For
this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for
you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all
spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live
a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in
every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Colossians 1:9-10 (NIV)
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