So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom...
Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
Psalm 90:12,16-17
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
Psalm 90:12,16-17
This psalm was a maskil, or prayer, penned by Moses and speaks much of God's anger with man. It is believed that he wrote it after the Israelites had sinned in the wilderness, and God's judgment was poured out on them. They would wander in the wilderness for 40 years until all who were of age would fail to see the Promised Land, except for Joshua and Caleb.
Yet his focus is on God's mercy and His ability to cause us to make something of our lives. This is a verse that I often pray from Scripture. I am by nature not a driven person, somewhat phlegmatic and always in need of something to drive me on. Now when I become passionate about something, that's a different story! But it takes a determination (that I have to trust God for) in order to develop that passion. Hence I pray, "Teach me to number my days that I may apply my heart to wisdom." I have only so many days on this earth. Am I using them to the utmost? I think not. There are some things that I believe are my duty to do, and I am not committed to the task. Though I do them now and then, they are not my passion. But they are nonetheless a duty. In those tasks I am not acknowledging that my days are numbered.
If we desire God's favor, we must allow Him to establish the work of our hands. Oh, sure, I believe that there is joy in doing the work that God calls us to, but sometimes in order to know that joy, we must do the work first.
I don't know if this makes any sense to you, but it makes perfect sense to me! I must count my days and allow Him to establish the work of my hands--and avoid His anger.
1 comments:
14793 days old, 40.5 years....whoa.
although i am weaker at this age, i feel i am doing more for the Lord now than when i was stronger. less of me, more of Him
Post a Comment