“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” ( Psalm 90:12, NIV)
As we gather on this last day of the year, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the journey we've walked together in the past 365 days. Today is not just the conclusion of another year; it is an opportunity for reflection, gratitude, and anticipation of the new beginnings that lie ahead. In looking back, we may find moments of joy, challenges that tested our faith, and times when we experienced God's grace in unexpected ways. It is essential to acknowledge that every step, every triumph, and every stumble has played a part in shaping us into the people we are today. As we reflect, let us also recognize the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father, who has walked with us through every season.
The Fleeting Nature of Time
The psalmist who wrote Psalm 90, believed to be Moses, begins by acknowledging the brevity and transience of human life. In a world where time often slips through our fingers like sand, it is crucial for us to recognize the significance of each passing moment. Our days are numbered, and our time on this earth is limited. James 4:14 reminds us that life is like a vapor, here for a moment and then gone.
Death is a certainty, but the time of death is not. But there are some people who can figure it out for you. A few years ago People Magazine published an article entitled "Dead Ahead" about a clock that keeps track of how much time you have left to live. It calculates an average life span of 75 years for men and 80 years for women. So you program your gender and age into the clock, from then on it will tell you how much time you have left. It sold for $99.95. But it is an intriguing idea. Now there is a Web site and an app for mobile that claims to predict when you will die. After you answer a series of questions, your projected date of death appears along with a digital clock counting down the number of seconds you have left to live. It's all based on current life-expectancy charts, and something called BMI (body mass index). but seeing it on a computer screen makes it more vivid. As the site says, it's "the Internet's friendly reminder that life is slipping away." If you want you can check it out at Death Clock.
God in His wisdom doesn't tell us the day of our death. Nor do we know the day of Christ's return. The Bible urges us to live for Christ and be prepared for either event. And we all know that Our life is running shorter, and not longer. Every day you lived makes one day closer to death. Life is brief and it is limited. Back in 1967, experts predicted that by the turn of the century technology would have taken over so much of the work we do that the average American work week would be only 22 hours long, that we would work only 27 weeks a year. People thought they could take long vacations and enjoy. Some others suggest that one of our biggest problems would be nothing to do!!. Well, we all know where we stand today, I know that prediction certainly missed the mark for me. We all like to think that we can live a long life.
A man was in the hospice on his last days. He used to love to drink coca cola all his life. One day at the hospice he decided not to drink coke any more. His son asked him why, he said, “I am afraid it will become an addiction.” We like to think even at the brink of death that our end is not near. “It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.” ( Andy Rooney). So we polish is it by saying, “you look so young” But as Mark Twain said, "When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it’s a sure sign you’re getting old." Honestly other people do not think about your age as much as you do yourself. People don't think about your age nor do they care how old you are all the time. "At age 20, we worry about what others think of us… at age 40, we don’t care what they think of us… at age 60, we discover they haven’t been thinking of us at all." (Ann Landers). Once I was talking to my son about the pains of getting old. He said, "Dad, Old age is not so bad when you consider the alternative.”
Life is a limited time offer.
We hear limited time offers all the time. If you don't do or buy certain things by a date or time, you lose your opportunity. Life in this world is limited. It can end at any time without notice. A bumper sticker said, “ Caution: the days in calendar are closer than it looks”. End of life is closer than we think or we like to think. I am not trying to scare you with the fear of death. But it is to remind you about the reality of the end of life. When we were young, 70 or 80 years sounded like a long time. I can remember when I thought anyone over 50 was ancient. But no longer. Our time runs out very fast. In fact, I don’t have a guarantee the I will live the next minute. Friends, Life is a limited time offer. The sale will end sooner than you think. Psalm 90:10 says "Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if we have strength; they quickly pass, and we fly away". Psalm 39:4 "Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life".
As Jesus said, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26). There was a man who was told by the King that he can get all the land he walks from day break to sunset, provided he comes back to the starting point before the sun sets. He started walking in the morning, walked and ran without food or water, he thought he could earn more, forgetting the fact that the more he walked away from the starting point, the more he will have to walk back. He finally realized that it was too late to come back. So with all his strength and might, he ran to the starting point and collapsed and died. The story ends by saying that all that land he acquired was of waste, all he needed at that time was a 6 foot piece of land so they could bury his dead body.
Romans 13:11-12 says, "The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness & put on the armor of light."
"Teach us to number our days" is not just a plea for God to reveal the quantity of our time but a prayer for insight into the quality of our lives. Reflecting on our days helps us gain perspective. It is a reminder to be intentional in our actions and choices and to use our time to nurture relationships, grow spiritually, and serve others. As we evaluate our days, we invite God to reveal areas where we can live with greater purpose.
There is still time because we are alive now.
The good news is that we are still alive. That means God has extended the offer. Numbering our days and gaining a heart of wisdom should lead us to a life filled with purpose. As Christians, our ultimate purpose is to love and serve God and others. Jesus summarized the commandments as love for God and love for our neighbors (Matthew 22:37-39). When we understand the brevity of our days, we are motivated to love deeply, forgive readily, and serve passionately to make a positive impact on the world around us.
Luke 13, we read about Pilate killing Galileans and use their blood in sacrifices. Then Eighteen people died when the tower in Siloam fell on them. Jesus asked, “do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
God has blessed us with opportunities. But an opportunity is also a challenge, sometimes almost a threat, because an opportunity missed may be a disaster. All of life’s opportunities have a possibility of finality about them. Here Jesus warns us of that harsh but real fact. “It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark”. But there was a time when God shut the door of the ark. Listen to the warnings when there is ample time. Salvation is a limited time offer. Grace will end one day either by one’s death or the second coming of Jesus.
I have a sermon titled, “The day Manna stopped”, I cannot remember if I preached that here. In Exodus, we read that Manna stopped one day. It ended just as it started one day. I am sure people did not like it when take away. It was taken for granted. When something we enjoy is taken away, we become upset. We complain. We don't realize that it was given to us as a gift. What did I do to deserve the best health, family or job or circumstance that I enjoy?
A lot of time we think that that God owes us everything. A story is told about a vendor who sold bagels for 50 cents each at a street corner food stand. A jogger ran past and threw a couple of quarters into the bucket but didn’t take a bagel. He did the same thing every day for months. One day, as the jogger was passing by, the vendor stopped him. The jogger asked, “You probably want to know why I always put money in but never take a bagel, don’t you?” “No,” said the vendor. “I just wanted to tell you that the bagels have gone up to 60 cents.” Too often, as believers, we treat God with that same kind of attitude. Not only are we ungrateful for what He’s given us—but we want more. Somehow we feel that God owes us good health, a comfortable life, material blessings. Of course, God doesn’t owe us anything, yet He gives us everything. “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:24). As we read in Job 1:21."naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart". The Lord gives, and the taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord"
The psalmist in Psalm 90:12 is a timeless reminder for us today. Let us approach each day with the understanding that our time on this earth is a gift, an opportunity to live with purpose and wisdom. As we number our days, may we seek God's guidance and cultivate a heart of wisdom, living in a way that reflects His love and grace. As we conclude our time together on this last day of the year, let us carry the lessons learned, the gratitude expressed, and the anticipation of new beginnings into the days ahead. May we walk in faith, love, and obedience, knowing that our God is faithful and His mercies are new every morning. May we make each day count for eternity, leaving a legacy of faith, love, and service.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you, and may He grant you peace as you step into the new year with hope and confidence in His unfailing love.
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