Life is short. In Psalm 90, the psalmist writes about the mortality of man, comparing mankind to a dream or grass, that is here one minute and withered away the next. We may live to seventy or even eighty, and yet, there are many who do not see the age of thirty. The psalmist then asks God to grant him wisdom to number his days (Psalm 90:12):
So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
With this verse in mind, I have been thinking about the length and end of my days. I have thought it over: one day I will no longer breathe, and my heart will no longer beat. Therefore, while I am alive here on earth, what is it that I will do? With whom will I spend my time? What will my priority be?
If I had only one month to live, I like to think that I would spend my life savings to go visit my sponsored children and their families, sharing the Gospel with as many people as I could along the way, and then visit with my family and friends with whatever remaining time I had. My sponsored children mean a lot to me; they are like my children, my extended family, my friends. I pray that they and their families will grow to know Christ as their Lord and Savior if they have not already. I also pray that my family members will grow to know Christ as their Lord and Savior and grow closer to Him throughout their lives.
But isn’t life exactly like that? We do not know how many days, minutes, seconds left in our lives, although we count down the days until our next vacation, our next birthday, the next big event in life, or when the next basketball season begins. Let us not lose the chance that we have to share the Gospel by just floating through life without direction, meaning, or action. As I encourage you to share the Gospel with those around you, I am reminding myself to do the same. Proverbs 27:1 prompts us not to boast of what we will do because we do not know what will happen:
Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
We may think we will do great things one day, but we do not know what will happen in the meantime. Therefore, it is imperative to live each day as if it is our last one. Today is the day to live well, not just one day as Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-16:
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Make the most of the time we have right now, even though at times, it seems like life is slowed to a screeching halt with nothing changing. When it feels like this, complacency sets it. However, what if things stay the same because we are missing out on what we are supposed to be doing right now in these circumstances? Step up and start living focused on the mission God has set before you. We only have so much time, and it is ticking away.
For more insight on Psalm 90 and the wisdom of numbering our days, see Ligonier’s article.
Comment Below
If you had one month to live, how would you spend your time, energy, and resources? With whom would you spend your time? How does the thought of a month to live affect your perspective about life? What is your highest priority?
Sponsor a Child
Please sponsor a child through Compassion International. Not only would you be using the life you have been given to bless someone else, you would be helping that child have an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, receive the things they need for life, and a chance to gain an education.
Sarah B. Deringer 