Our days are numbered

So teach us to number our days,
  that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

I've often thought that if we knew exactly how many hours, days, years we had together, we might be more aware of how important each choice we make is.  But God has not chosen to let us know. At the end of his life, the apostle Paul was able to say, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course . . . there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:7-8).  Too often a woman approaches the end of life and inwardly laments, I've fought a mediocre fight as a wife.  I didn't run well in my race.  

From What's it like to be Married to Me by Linda Dillow


We are not given a million years to waste away, our days are numbered and the number of days are unknown to us.  Realizing that life is really very short, it is important to remember to use each moment of each day wisely. We cannot go back and reuse any of those days we have wasted. I don't want to be one of those women who, when I get old, regret that I have used my time poorly . . . that I didn't love my DH enough, I didn't care for my sons enough, instead I wasted it doing things that were simply not important.  

However some women read this as needing to be always doing something . . . but that is not true, using our time wisely can still involve sitting in the sun (like I did on the weekend), reading a book, going for a walk or listening to some beautiful music.  Its only when we do this all the time that it becomes wasteful.

It is also important to remember our busyness isn't to gain "brownie points" nor is it to make us "look good".  That is as bad as doing nothing at all.  By seeing each day as a new opportunity to learn something new, to acquire or develope a skill and growing closer to the Lord Jesus is what we need to strive for.  Each day is precious and like anything precious we need to treat each day with care.  Something I am learning to do, as I can most certainly waste away a perfectly good day by doing nothing at all.


~oOo~

Comments

  1. LOVE this post!!! It is so true - We need that time to reflect, to renew ourselves and find peace in the day to day! Thanks for sharing! :)

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  2. This is so true - and also why I've restricted my hours spent online. Sometimes I miss being online, seeing what is going on in the world or on FB or on blogs etc, but overall I feel SO much better for it and am able to do so many more of the things that really matter - sewing, reading with my children, spending more time outside in the garden or with the children... etc.
    Excellent reminder, Jo! :)

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  3. Do you know Clara - on three occasions I have "bumped" into Psalm 90:12 - once during my evening readings on the weekend, then whilst at someone else blog on Sunday and again tonight while looking through my daily devotional. I think the Lord is really telling me about my time and how to put it good use and not to waste away those numbered days on things that don't matter.

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  4. Yours is the only blog and I haven't run into these verses in my own reading lately, however God has been pressing this lesson on my conscience lately!!! :) Your blog post was a timely reminder. :)

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  5. I had coffee with an older friend today. She lamented this very thing. That she had fussed too much about her house and garden and did not spend enough time with her children when they were smaller. She is remedying that now :-) It is so easy to get involved in unimportant things...and yes, the computer is one of my areas that I have to ration.

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