August 5

Numbering Our Days

So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. — Ps 90:12-14 BSB

This psalm was likely written toward the end of the Israelites’ time in the wilderness and reflects the sadness Moses must have felt as he watched his old companions being buried in the desert sands.

He compares centuries to the fleeting memory of yesterday, which quickly fades from our minds; to a watch spent by the campfire; to the sudden rush of a mountain flood; to a dream that flickers briefly before our minds; and to the grass that flourishes in the morning but withers by evening. These images, rich in beauty, likely came from Moses’ long journey through the wilderness. It’s as though his heart, weary of life’s transience and decay, turned toward the eternal, unchanging God. While life is full of change, God is the Rock of Ages, unshakable and eternal.

We should measure our days against the eternal nature of God, the lifespan of mountains, or the rise and fall of great empires. When we realize how short life is, we begin to use our time wisely, seizing every golden opportunity.

A wise heart knows how to give God a fair portion of our time. Every day, it’s wise to set aside time for reading His Word, prayer, and fellowship with Him. Each week, we should reserve one day for His service. The Hebrews devoted a significant amount of time to their religious practices, and we can learn from that. As the old proverb says, “Prayer and provisions hinder no one.” It is especially wise to make God our guide, asking Him to show us how to use this precious gift of life. Without Him, our best intentions will fail, but when we walk with Him, every action has meaning, and every day adds to the strength and impact of our lives. In this fellowship with God, nothing is trivial, nothing is wasted. We find satisfaction, gladness, and a lasting impact that God Himself establishes.

Prayer

O Faithful Lord, teach us to trust You for life and death and to make You our All in All. Amen.