Number your days ∙∙∙

Number your days ∙∙∙

So teach us to number our days so that we may get a heart of wisdom. – Psalms 90:12

Psalms 39:4-5

 4 Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered – how fleeting my life is.

 5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.

Living for the Moment in a Fast-Paced World

In today’s hyperkinetic 21st century, many people find themselves living for the moment. Living for the moment means focusing on the pleasures of the present, often without much thought for the potential repercussions. It’s a mindset that emphasizes the now, with little concern for what the future may hold.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” This perspective resonates deeply with younger generations, who often don’t consider aging or the certainty of death.

The prevailing hedonistic mindset of our time has drawn many in, leading them to center their lives on pleasure and self-indulgence. Although this approach may appear satisfying initially, it often leaves little room for reflecting on deeper, eternal truths.

The Eternal Perspective of the Father

Unlike humanity, the Father exists outside of time. Time itself is one of His creations, meant to bring sequence and order to His “time-bound creations.” The Father dwells in eternity, beyond the constraints of time.

As Isaiah 57:15 reminds us, “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, he lives forever.”

A.W. Tozer beautifully captures this concept, “God dwells in eternity, but time dwells in God. He has already lived all our tomorrows as He has lived all our yesterdays.”

A Different Relationship with Time

A Kenyan proverb offers a striking contrast to the Western obsession with time, “Westerners have watches, Africans have time.”

This proverb emphasizes a more relaxed attitude toward time, where days are noted but hours are not, and deadlines are not rushed or driven by stress. It serves as a reminder to slow down and focus on what truly matters.

REFLECT & PRAY

We may not know how many days we have left, but a successful life honors the Father every day. As Wiersbe wisely notes, “A successful life is composed of days honoring the Father.”

Father, I recognize that my days are limited. Help me make better choices with the time You have given me. Teach me to honor You in every moment and to live with an eternal perspective.

INSIGHT

The Eternal Perspective in Psalms 90

Psalms 90 offers a profound reflection on the contrast between the eternal nature of the Father and the finite, mortal existence of humanity. Moses, the author of this psalm, recognized that the Father’s view of time and eternity is vastly different from that of time-bound humans. Moses gained a unique understanding of life’s brevity, wisdom that only comes with maturity and introspection.

INSIGHT

Young People Focus on the Present

In their younger years, many people focus on the here and now, giving little thought to the distant future or the inevitability of aging and death. It’s as though they believe they will live forever, rarely contemplating end-of-life issues or their own mortality.

Moses’ Journey of Introspection

Moses, however, had moved beyond this youthful mindset. With age, he became increasingly aware of life’s transient nature and his own transience. This awareness led him to a period of deep introspection, a “self-check,” as we might call it today. He sought to assess his life, put things into perspective, and make the most of the time he had left.

Moses prayed for the wisdom to “number his days,” a practice that involves recognizing the limited number of days we truly have. By doing so, we come to understand the brevity of life and the inevitability of death. As Waltner aptly put it, “By reflecting on death, one can learn how to live.”

The Wisdom of Numbering Our Days

Psalms 90:12 captures Moses’ prayer, “Teach us to number our days so that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

To “number our days” means to keep an account of the days we’ve lived and to recognize how many remain. The FRCL version translates this as, “Make us understand that our days are numbered.” This encourages us to focus on what truly matters, avoiding trivial interests. As Tesh and Zorn note, “Life is too precious to waste on trivial pursuits.”

The Brevity of Life in Scripture

The fleeting nature of life is a recurring theme in the Scriptures, captured in Psalms 39:4-5: “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment from your perspective; at best, each of us is but a breath.”

Psalms 90:10, “Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon, they disappear, and we fly away.”

Deuteronomy 32:29, “Would that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would know their fate!”

For every child of the King, making wise decisions begins with understanding the Father’s purpose for their lives and striving to fulfill it. As Westermann explains, “A wise heart is the prize of the one who knows his own limits because he is aware of the limits of human existence.”

The Struggle with Covetousness

Although living in the moment has undeniable pleasures, many still battle the craving for more. As Mother Teresa said, “Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” Yet, as Mark Twain observed, “Civilization is a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessaries.”

The apostle John explained, 1 John 2:16, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.” Wiersbe explains, “Covetousness is an unquenchable thirst for getting more and more of something we think we need in order to be truly satisfied.”

Covetousness can manifest as a craving for wealth, possessions, power, or social status.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Jesus addressed the dangers of greed in the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:15-21). Jesus warns in Luke 12:15, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

The rich man in the story focused on accumulating wealth, building bigger barns to store his goods, and planning a life of ease. But God called him a fool, saying, “You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” The parable concludes with a powerful lesson: “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

J.R. Miller adds, “Men think they become great just in proportion as they gather wealth. Yet there never was a more fatal error. A man is really measured by what he is, and not by what he has.”

As you reflect on this parable, take a moment to check your own heart. Is covetousness lurking within? Are you prioritizing the accumulation of wealth or possessions over a rich relationship with God? Life is too precious to squander on trivial pursuits. Instead, seek wisdom, live with purpose, and honor the Father with the time you’ve been given.

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© Dr. H 2025