Subject: "Teach Us to Number Our Days"
Text: Psalms 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Introduction: Moses dealt with Israel for more than 80 years. Just think about all that has taken place in the last 50 years. During the last 50 years, the golden age of communication, radio, telephones, television, Color TV, the polio vaccine, Disneyland opened in California, and Elvis Presley made "The Ed Sullivan Show. The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. You talk about exciting times, the 50s saw segregation ruled illegal in the U.S. and the beginning of the civil rights movement. To many, the 60s can be summed up as the Vietnam War, hippies, drugs, protests, and rock 'n roll. A common joke goes, "If you remember the '60s, you weren't there." Other revolutionary movements included the Stonewall Riots and the beginnings of gay rights, the Women's Lib movement, and the civil rights movement. Who could forget Motown, and its dominance in the music industry, the Jackson Five, The Beatles and the reinvention of Michael Jackson. During that time, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Alongside these revolutionary cultural changes, world politics was equally dramatic. The U.S. entered the Vietnam War, the Berlin Wall was built, the Soviets launched the first man into space, and President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy were all assassinated. Tragic events dominated the era, including the deadliest earthquake of the century, the Jonestown massacre, the Munich Olympics massacre, the taking of American hostages in Iran, and the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island.
Culturally, then came disco, M*A*S*H*, and "Star Wars", Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court made abortion legal, and the Watergate scandal reached its climax when President Richard Nixon resigned. Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev brought an end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. There were also disasters like the eruption of Mount St. Helens, the oil spill of the Exxon Valdez, the Ethiopian famine, a huge poison gas leak in Bhopal, and the scourge of AIDS. Culturally, the 1980s saw the Rubik's Cube, the Pac-Man, video games, and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. CNN, the first 24-hour cable news network debuted exposing viewers to worldwide news Instantly. We saw the Cold War ended, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, the internet changed life as everyone knew it—in many ways, the 1990s seemed a decade of both hope and relief. But the decade also saw its fair share of tragedy, including the Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbine High School massacre, and the genocide in Rwanda. We lived through it all. The past two years, we saw an invisible virus temporarily shut down the world now we have a new variant.
Psalms 90 is the oldest psalm. It is said to have been written by Moses. Moses was great prophet and law giver of God, who led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Although the children of Israel had been freed from the bondage of Egypt, freedom cannot really be enjoyed until life is understood. Israel's new freedom led them into a life of disobedience to God. If they only had the wisdom for living out their purpose, they would have entered into the Promised Land and experienced the rest of God. There is a rest for the people of God. Because of disobedience, the first generation died in the wilderness, never reaching the Promised Land, never enjoying the land that flows with milk and honey.
In our text today, we are allowed to hear what Moses thought about all the changes he experienced. Moses has the tremendous responsibility of preparing this new generation to go in possess the land that God had promised them. We can hear the heart of Moses in this Psalm as he prays to God. Moses does not ask God for a life of ease, nor to be translated out of his troubles. He does not ask God for a longer life, or riches and wealth. Moses had witnessed fellow travelers who lived in ease, eating manna from heaven, and drinking water from a rock. They were shaded by the cloud of God by day and warmed by the fire of God by night. They disobeyed God’s instructions and the consequence was the death of an entire generation. The Hebrews wandered in the desert for thirty-eight years. Over those years, nearly a million people died - about eighty-seven funerals a day. Moses was surrounded by death and despair. Moses, the man of God took out his journal and began to pour out his prayer to the Lord. Moses affirms that God is eternal, faithful, and completely holy. He contrasts the eternal God with fragility of Israel. Israel like all mankind is finite, fickle, and faithless. Moses is confronted by mortality and time. If dealing with this virus has taught us anything, its taught just how fragile and uncertain life really is.
The average life of copper wire is approximately twenty years. The average age for a cat is fifteen years. The average life of a paper dollar bill is eighteen months. The average life of a painted line on the road is three to four months. The average life of a pro basketball players shoes is two weeks. The average life of a tornado is ten minutes. And the average life of a human being is 25,550 days.
Moses had witnessed those who had lived many years, carrying the wealth and riches of Egypt, but they all died in the wilderness and failed to receive the promises of God. Moses prays "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Another translation says, "Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom."
Psalm 90 teach us a lot about time, life and death. (1) Life is uncertain (2) Life is Short and (3) Life is important. Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out and spend every cent, each day of course!
Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today’s deposits. We should invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.
I heard a story about a man who worked at a factory. One of his main jobs was to blow the factory whistle at 5:00 to indicate the workday was over. He walked to work each day and passed a jewelry store where a beautiful grandfather clock was displayed in the window. Every morning, he stopped and set his pocket watch to match the time on the grandfather clock. One morning the storeowner was out front sweeping the sidewalk and the factory worker asked him how he kept such accurate time on the grandfather clock. The jeweler said, “Oh, I set it every afternoon when the factory whistle blows at 5:00.” People live by the clock, because time is important to all of us. Benjamin Franklin said, “Do not squander time, for it is the stuff life is made of.”
Moses understood the uncertainty of life, that it was short, and life is important. He understood the judgment of God, so he asked God to teach him how to "make the most of his time." Moses recognized that a short life should be wisely spent. We do not have enough time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour. Neither are we sure enough of the length of life to justify us procrastinating for a moment. Moses had watch many of the Israelites die in the wilderness, without even understanding the reason for life. Every day, news commentators inform us for infections, hospitalizations, and death tolls from the virus. Many who are here today, will be gone tomorrow.
Moses is not asking for a lesson in Arithmetic for he has been trained in the courts of Pharaoh. He knows how to count, add, subtract, multiply and divide, but he like all men, struggle "to number his days." Men can number their herds and droves of oxen and of sheep, they can estimate the revenues of his treasure, they can with a little pains number and tell their coins, and yet they are persuaded that their days are not infinite and innumerable. Yet, no one understand how to number their days. What is average number of years of a man's life? How long will you live? How many of years are already spent? How many remains? How much of them must be occupied with the necessary duties of this life? What afflictions and helplessness may attend them? Moses decided to make this issue a matter of prayer. "Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
1. Life is uncertain. It is a vapor, fading flower, a fleeing shadow. James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Job 14: 1"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. "
Just because life is uncertain and short, does not mean that life is not important. Moses understood the importance of life and he wanted us to make the most of our time. How we live is more important than how long we live.
2. Life is short because death is sure. It is an inescapable appointment. Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" The word mortal means death doomed. Leaving this world is an appointment. Death is the price tag for life. For the carnal or unsaved man, death is the end; the end of opportunity, the end of hope, the end of pleasures and comforts. For the believer, death offers a new beginning and a renewed hope. The bible says. Psalms 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. "
3. Life is important because in life we choose how we spend our time and where we will spend eternity. Life is God’s gift to us. There are countless blessings given to each of us. God will judge us on how use His precious gifts, talents, and abilities. If the judgment of God is coming, life is important. How can we make the most of our time on earth? How do we number our days, …and apply our hearts unto wisdom? Moses knew the importance of having his mind, intellect, and will directed by God. If we going to live life wisely, as God intended, we need God in our lives.
Moses knew that only God can teach us His plan for our lives and how to use our time in such a manner that we reach the full measure of wisdom He planned for us. Such wisdom teaches us to trust God, to accept the sorrows life brings and to be grateful for signs of God's love and care. Instead of wasting our precious, fleeting days in pursuing things of the world, which have no eternal value. First, let us seek the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance in heaven. Only what we do for Christ will last. Secondly, let us pray that the work of the Holy Spirit will convert our hearts and turn our affection to God. So, we can love God with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as ourselves. Finally, let us live so that the beauty of holiness may be seen in our conduct.
Moses knew that life was the uncertainty of life. Life is a temporary assignment. Life is a place of preparation. So, he prayed that God would give him true wisdom, and Divine instruction for making the most of our time. Death all around us reminds each of us of our own mortality. It reminds us of our need to be taught by the Holy Spirit how to really live. It reminds us that God is the only real source of lasting comfort and joy. It is important early on the importance loving God, others and ourselves, as we journey along life’s way. Working diligently and faithfully supporting others and living in the beloved community. This community right now, seems so fractured and divided. Yet, each of us should work towards unity and love. Living our lives apart from God and His will, only leads to selfishness. We are to love one another, support one another and make our contribution to make this world a better place. We should work like we know life was uncertain, life was short, and should live life is important.
You see, life is made up of time. How we spent our time will determine how we spend eternity. Life is important because in life we make our decision for Christ and heaven. In life we can help our fellowman. In life we demonstrate of love for God. In life we can examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In life there is time to repent, accept Jesus Christ as savior. Life is uncertain, short and important. If you don't know Him today, you can know Him. He is only a prayer away. Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near! You will find God's favor. You will encounter the mercy of God. If you know Him today, really know him, allow His divine consolation comfort you. You will experience His joy, peace, and love. He is the God of all comfort. He knows how to cause you to smile again. My life is uncertain. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. It maybe sunshine or it may be pain. I know my birth date, but I don't know my death date. Yet, I know it's already set. Therefore, I choose to make the most of my time, I must yield myself completely to God and to His plan for my life. I must choose to obey his command to love God and others. I must endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Finally, I must keep praising God for this is the will of God concerning me. Moses prays. "So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." My prayer for each of you is that God will comfort you through your loss, restore your joy and help each of us make the most of the time we have left.
Benediction: Because the world is poor and starving, go with bread, Because the world is filled with fear, go with courage. Because the world is in despair, go with hope, because the world is living lies, go with truth. Because the world is sick with sorrow, go with joy, Because the world is weary of war, go with peace.
Because the world is seldom fair, go with justice, Because the world is under judgment, go with mercy. Because the world will die without it, go with love. Because you have been saved to go, empowered to go and commanded to go,….Go! Go with the grace of God that saved you, the peace of God that comforts you, and the power of God that sustains you and the love of God that keeps you!
May God bless you in your labor and in your leisure; in your going out and coming in, and may He cause you to be a blessing whenever, however and wherever you go. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen
