Number Our Days

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 

Father, this morning I am thinking about minutes and hours and days. They all layer one upon another until years are created and lives are measured.

Thank you that you have all our days numbered. Not one will be lost. Not one will be wasted in your plan. Not one will be squandered and rendered useless or valueless because you hold them in your hand and will redeem them. If we lay these in your hands—lay them over the engraving of us that is etched there—you will redeem each second.

This morning I am asking that you teach me, teach us, to number our days aright. As we plan this New Year, as we look at this stretched out year numbered 2014, teach us to count our days for you. Father, I ask for your guidance. I ask for your direction. I ask that you would whisper behind us in our ears and that we would listen as you tell us how to spend our time.

The older I get, Father, I understand that time is one of the most precious and sacred commodities and gifts we have. Once spent it cannot be retrieved. We cannot return time. We cannot go back and look at our calendars and realize we don’t like what we bought and return it. What are we purchasing with our time?

Oh, Father, teach us today to number our days aright. Why? That we may gain a heart of wisdom. That we may see you in each second that ticks by on our clocks. That we may look back at our calendar and not regret what we bought.

Only you can teach and instruct us in this, Father. Only you know how to spend time in order for it to have eternal value. Only you know. We are asking you this morning to make our hearts receptive to your teaching. We are asking this morning to enable us not only to be receptive, but to actually put into practice what you instruct us to do.

Father, 2014 is before us. Many of us are planning. Devising agendas. Setting goals. We need your help, otherwise we are going to invest our time in vapor that dissipates and leaves little behind. Give us wisdom. Remind us to look at the author and finisher of our faith.

If anyone spent their days aright, it was Jesus. So, we ask in his precious name.

Amen