"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)
As always with this little blog, the posts I write are intended for, and desperately needful for me to hear first. Never has this been more the case than it is with today's message. So, if you feel like I may be pointing the finger, please know that it is pointed squarely at myself.
However, if anything that I have said were to resonate with you personally, praise God for that.
Whether you're on the back side of fifty like I am, whether you're sick or well, or whether you're still young and feel like the world is your oyster—in the big picture—in the greater scheme of things—none of us are long on this earth.
The proverbial clock is ticking.
How does that settle with your Sunday morning pancakes?
If that sounds like negative or 'alarmist' thinking to you, know that the author of Psalm 90:12 was one of the wisest men who ever lived. And what I believe the psalmist is saying, is that this life is short. Very short. And that what we do in this life has short-term consequences, and even more important—eternal consequences.
We will all be held accountable. As Jesus said:
"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." — (Luke 12:48)
The words of Jesus here cause me to examine my actions and motives for doing them in all areas of my life. What are my priorities? Am I living just to please myself in the here and now? Or am I living in light of eternity? What am I living for?
What are you living for?
So much of my life—my emotions, time, resources and energy, have been spent in pursuit of things that I have come to learn, are ultimately not lasting or satisfying. And regretfully, much of my life has been wasted on worthless pursuits.
The wise man who authored Psalm 90:12 is teaching us by long experience that, since our days are numbered and relatively short, that we should spend our time here on earth, focused on what really matters.
As the not-so-old saying goes: "This is not a dress rehearsal."
There are no do-overs in this life. You have one shot.
Knowing all that—that our time here is so short—we may "gain a heart of wisdom" by hitting the reset button in our life, and number our days—knowing that ultimately, we will each stand before our Maker, and, in my opinion, probably much sooner than we think.
When you stand before Christ and have to give an account to "Him who judges the living and the dead" what will you say to Him?
Men, will it be that you spent the bulk of your life focused on fishing, hunting, watching sports, movies, and looking at junk on the Internet that your conscience warned you was so wrong? Will the re-play of your life reveal a life wasted, where you spent your time and resources pursuing things just to please yourself? And all the while, your family suffered while you were an absentee husband and father?
Or will you be able to stand humbly before Jesus Christ and give an honest account of a life spent in devotion to God—unconditionally loving and serving your wife, family, friends, and especially strangers, widows, and orphans; who are lost and alone in this life? Were you quick to show God's love, justice and mercy, not thinking of your own needs, but considering the needs of others over your own?
The pastor at our church has talked several times this year about the "self-idolatry of self-absorption." This speaks of the large number of so-called "christian" people who are so wrapped up in themselves and their own personal needs and happiness that the lost and hurting people who we are called to love and serve, fall by the wayside along the idolatrous road of our self-focus and self-absorption.
I'm convicted by what the apostle Paul wrote:
"Examine yourselves, to see if you are in the faith."
As followers of Christ, we're told to set our hearts on heavenly things, not on earthly things.
Jesus said (Matthew 6:19-21):
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Where is your heart today?
—The clock is ticking...
—God is Love and Love Never Fails.
How does that settle with your Sunday morning pancakes?
If that sounds like negative or 'alarmist' thinking to you, know that the author of Psalm 90:12 was one of the wisest men who ever lived. And what I believe the psalmist is saying, is that this life is short. Very short. And that what we do in this life has short-term consequences, and even more important—eternal consequences.
We will all be held accountable. As Jesus said:
"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." — (Luke 12:48)
The words of Jesus here cause me to examine my actions and motives for doing them in all areas of my life. What are my priorities? Am I living just to please myself in the here and now? Or am I living in light of eternity? What am I living for?
What are you living for?
So much of my life—my emotions, time, resources and energy, have been spent in pursuit of things that I have come to learn, are ultimately not lasting or satisfying. And regretfully, much of my life has been wasted on worthless pursuits.
The wise man who authored Psalm 90:12 is teaching us by long experience that, since our days are numbered and relatively short, that we should spend our time here on earth, focused on what really matters.
As the not-so-old saying goes: "This is not a dress rehearsal."
There are no do-overs in this life. You have one shot.
Knowing all that—that our time here is so short—we may "gain a heart of wisdom" by hitting the reset button in our life, and number our days—knowing that ultimately, we will each stand before our Maker, and, in my opinion, probably much sooner than we think.
When you stand before Christ and have to give an account to "Him who judges the living and the dead" what will you say to Him?
Men, will it be that you spent the bulk of your life focused on fishing, hunting, watching sports, movies, and looking at junk on the Internet that your conscience warned you was so wrong? Will the re-play of your life reveal a life wasted, where you spent your time and resources pursuing things just to please yourself? And all the while, your family suffered while you were an absentee husband and father?
Or will you be able to stand humbly before Jesus Christ and give an honest account of a life spent in devotion to God—unconditionally loving and serving your wife, family, friends, and especially strangers, widows, and orphans; who are lost and alone in this life? Were you quick to show God's love, justice and mercy, not thinking of your own needs, but considering the needs of others over your own?
The pastor at our church has talked several times this year about the "self-idolatry of self-absorption." This speaks of the large number of so-called "christian" people who are so wrapped up in themselves and their own personal needs and happiness that the lost and hurting people who we are called to love and serve, fall by the wayside along the idolatrous road of our self-focus and self-absorption.
I'm convicted by what the apostle Paul wrote:
"Examine yourselves, to see if you are in the faith."
As followers of Christ, we're told to set our hearts on heavenly things, not on earthly things.
Jesus said (Matthew 6:19-21):
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Where is your heart today?
—The clock is ticking...
—God is Love and Love Never Fails.
No comments:
Post a Comment