What to do about the brevity of Life

 

Read Psalm 90.

Here is song from Moses.  He began by extolling the eternal nature of God.  He is from everlasting to everlasting.  God does not exist in time.  He is not limited to space or matter.  As Creator, He is the Owner of life.  And, He is the believer's refuge and final home.

Human life is the exact opposite.  We are here only for a while and then gone into eternity.  Earthly life is described like dust, as if swept away by a flood, a dream, grass, a sigh.  It may last 70 years, maybe 80, then soon gone.  This is an interesting statement from a man who lived to be 120.

Facing this temporal reality, how should we be praying and what should we be doing?

1. Learning wisdom. (v.12)
Teach us to number our days.  It is human nature to avoid thinking about our days being numbered, let alone wisely planning our lives according to its sure brevity.  Today matters.  This understanding and learning causes us-
-to be urgent in what we do
-to be right in what we do
-to be prudent in what we do

2. Being content with God's love for us. (v.14a)
If He was all you had in this life, would you be satisfied?  Is He enough for you?

3. Rejoicing through it all. (v.14b-15)
Afflicted?  Yes.  Experienced evil?  Yes.  The secret to being "glad all our days" is being content with God and His love. 

4. Seeing God's power at work. (v.16)
Praying is one thing.  Our faith is built up as we intentionally take notice of God at work all around us every day.  He is active every moment.  Don't miss it.

5. Experiencing God's favor in all that we do. (v.17)
He is the One who opens doors of opportunity and blesses us.  It is His good hand upon us that makes all the difference in life and leaves a legacy of honor for those behind us.