April 2005
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou, hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which growth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and growth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
LORD, TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS
During the last few months there seem to be an increase in violence, sickness and turmoil in our community. There are wars and rumors of wars in our world, with our own country fighting on several fronts. Marriages and personal relationships are being torn asunder. Because of these perils, for many people life has become unpleasant and unfulfilling. These people, lament about yesterday and dread to think about tomorrow, so they have no energy to live for today. The Psalmist captures their sentiment when he said, "So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
What does the Psalmist means when he says, "So teach us to number our days" or literally "Make us to know the number of our days"? What can we learn from these words that maybe helpful, as we make our journey from earth to glory? Jesus said, "…I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10: b). Yet, for many people, some even saints of God, their life is empty, meaningless and without joy. Can numbering their days be a balm for them?
First, we must learn and accept the fact that the days of our life are numbered. The Psalmist declares, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten (70); and if by reason of strength they be fourscore (80) years… "(v10). So, we too, must learn to number our days. Our life is an unmerited gift from God. Our life is precious in His sight. God has made us stewards over the apex of His creation. We don't usually get serious about our life or consider the meaning and worth of our lives, until someone close to us dies or we have a near death experience. The author uses many figures to bring to mind the brevity of life. He compares our days to God's eternity, and says that even a thousand years (if we could live that long) are in His sight one day that is past. What a sobering thought. We often forget that we are mortal beings with a definite end time. While, the fact that we will depart this life, the consequences of sin, maybe depressing, it can also cause us to want to use our time seeking a closer walk with God. In doing this, life will take on new meaning and purpose. Then we realize that, "…for the joy of the Lord is your (our) strength" (Neh. 8:10d).
Second, the reason we should number our days is so that, "we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (v12). Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. Wisdom comes, not from worldly attainment of knowledge, but rather it come from God (James 1:5). The heart of wisdom that the Psalmist prays for is one that understands his coming death to be result of God's wrath at his sinful and rebellious nature. Wisdom teaches us to make every day count. By wisdom, we remember that in the end the things that really count are the thing you can't count. How do you measure love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Gal 5:22-23)? What values do you assigned visiting the sick or giving shelter to the homeless? It is true, only what you do for Christ will last. Applying our heart to wisdom should cause us to seek after eternal things and put temporal things in second place. We should make the main thing the main thing. Then, you will discover that the highest joy of temporal things comes from using them for eternal purposes. That is, the joy of a new car is to use it to transport people that may need a ride. Applying our hearts to wisdom we can know, that even now, God can teach us to redeem the time, because the days are evil (Eph 5:16). When we know Christ we then own our days for the first time. When we give him our time, He gives it back to us in the form of His grace.
Lord, teach me to number my days. We are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. The world value people by their net worth, God values us by who we are. Money could not buy us. Neither gold nor silver could buy us. We were redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb. The most precious gift in the entire world is the gift of life. How will you invest the rest of your days? We should pray with the Psalmist, "Lord teach me to number my days!Copyright © 2005 by FBCV Online