In order to get the most out of each day we need to view each day as a gift from God and do our best to make it count. Consider what Moses wrote in Psalm 90 as he led the children of Israel on their journey to the promised land.
Psalm 90:9–12 (ESV) — 9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Notice the way Moses reminds us about the brevity of life. If you want to make each day count you need to have a grasp on how short life is. Here he says it’s like a sigh. Other places tell us it is like a few handbreadths, a shadow, or a mist.”
Psalm 39:5 (ESV) — 5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
Psalm 39:6 (ESV) — 6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
James 4:14 (ESV) — 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Moses goes on to remind his readers that our days are seventy or maybe eighty years but the longer we live there is even more toil and trouble and we are soon gone. Too often we mistreat our daily activities and responsibilities like we’ll be here forever but that is not true. If we are procrastinating, we’ll not be making each day count. Instead, we are banking on time that we may not have.
Ephesians 5:14–18 (ESV) — 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
We are reminded by Paul in Ephesians to wake up and make the best us of the time because the days are evil. Moses reminds us that we ought to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Granted there is no guarantee that we’ll live to be seventy or eighty. God has designed our lives for His purpose and He will take us home at the appropriate time. But just say, your days are numbered to be seventy. In order to number your days, subtract your age from 70 and multiply by 365 days. (Example: Next March 8, I’ll be 70 so this is an awakening moment as my number is about 270 days.) Whoa! That makes you think. What are you putting off because you think you’ll have plenty of time? Moses said you will get a heart of wisdom if you number your days. God may be gracious to you and allow you to live to eighty or even more but who is to say the quality of your life will be such that you can do the things you are putting off today.
In the spirit of wisdom, it’s time to get your priorities correct and apply yourself to a heart of wisdom. As we read above in Ephesians we are to “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 today while you have today. Today is a gift from God and as a good steward with God’s gifts we are to produce a good return on His investment. Granted, we do not have the power, strength, or wisdom to carry out anything worthwhile on our own, but the spirit of the wisdom is to do all things in the fear and by the power of God as we depend upon Him for each breath until He calls us home.
It’s a short trip. Make the most of it.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker
