May We Number Our Days

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. - Psalm 90:12

If the average life expectancy of a person is 80 years, then we may calculate that from the moment of birth to the moment of physical death, we have 29,200 days to live. If then we subtract 12 years (normally considered childhood), we are left with 24,820 "adult" days. Since we sleep (on average) eight hours a day, we may finally calculate that we have available to us about 16,630 days:

• to make a difference

• to live out our life's purpose

• to somehow honor our Creator.

Of course, some of us have a few more days than others, and some possibly less. For example, I am down to about 4,300! But however many days we think we have, the question ever remains, "Are we using our days productively?"

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. "Fear" in this context is reverence, which means quite simply that to develop wisdom one must first worship the Almighty. Once a person has begun to honor God in this way (belief in His Son), every day must be lived to honor Him more. For those who claim to follow Christ, this must be the measure of a successful life. There can be no other.

Therefore, whatever it is we do with our days, may all our days be His.

The present moment alone is ours. Today is a day which we never had before, which we shall never have again. It rose from the great ocean of eternity, and again sinks into its unfathomable depths. - Thomas DeWitt Talmage