In Psalm 90, Moses displayed the insignificance of man’s existence against the backdrop of the eternal God. He testified that all mankind throughout all of man’s existence lived out their lives in complete dependence upon God, the Creator. “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” (Psalm 90:1-2). Man’s generations come and go, but God is eternal and unchanging. “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4).
In contrast Moses concedes “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 labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:9-10). Not only are our lives brief, but they are filled with uncertainty. James writes in his epistle, “ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14).
In light of this truth, Moses prays “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). It is one thing to know that our lives are brief and unpredictable. It is another thing to consciously live that truth by literally measuring our days in light of our opportunities. If we can know anything at all then about what it means to number our days, then at the very least it means to apply them to their best use. To do that we must understand the relative value of our opportunities and invest our time and energies in those things which matter most.
It is wisdom that teaches us the value of things and so we are to apply our hearts unto wisdom while opportunity permits. Solomon, credited with being the wisest man that ever lived (not counting our Lord Jesus), admonished “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Job brings even greater focus to this matter. He writes “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28).
Putting this all together the highest and best use of our time is to cultivate a genuine fear of God that results in a life that pleases him. Such wisdom is only found in his word. Tragically, most people live their lives as if God does not exist or, at the very least, is not present among us. Indifference to the things of God does not make him indifferent to us. He has spoken “Behold, all souls are mine…the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).
Moses’ prayer should resonate within us. “Teach us to number our days so that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”. Wisdom gives a right value to things that must be pursued as well as those that should be laid aside. In these brief lives of ours, we are drawn after many things. Jesus asked a most penetrating question that still applies to us today. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Are you numbering your days? How much do you value your soul?
From the Chaplain 