WATCHWORD:
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. Psalm 90:1-2, 12-15
Meditation:
Long-life Lament?
So much of Psalm 90, “A Prayer of Moses”, reads like it should be part of Lamentations. It speaks about God’s anger consuming us all of our days. Regardless of how many years we live, they pass under the wrath of God. There are phrases like “we finish our years with a moan”, and “the best of our years, are but trouble and sorrow”. Does sound like a lament, doesn’t it?
This Psalm is attributed to Moses as author. I have a bit of understanding and sympathy for Moses. For the past several months my Bible study group has been studying the Book of Exodus and you get the impression that the Hebrews were truly a pain in the you-know-what. I would guess that this Psalm was written toward the end of the 40 years in the wilderness and, after all of that, Moses knows that he will not be entering the promised land. Now that may not be fair but it does cause us to wonder about what must have been going through the mind of Moses as he wrote this.
This Psalm about numbering are days is mostly read at funerals, a reminder of the frailty of life. I don’t know what the average age of those who read Watchwords, but I think that most of us are seniors, who have lived a good and long life. I also think that most of us know that we are accountable for what we have done during those years and what we have done to our body in the process of living. I think we also thank the Lord that we keep going, we keep on ticking.
I like the idea that a saint is just a sinner who fell down, but who got up with the help of the Lord. Asking the Lord to help us is one part of the puzzle of long life, the other piece is in our hands, we have to play out our part, our role. What’s our role, you ask? Gratitude. Our belief that the Heavenly Father has been faithful throughout our lives, even during times when we took off on our prodigal rebellion, and then He embraced us when we tearfully returned to Him.
Even now, at this stage of our lives, we are wise enough to ask the Lord to take our hand, lest we fall. Guide our steps as we make our way through the cares of life. You are God, and you are in charge. Best of all, You love us! And knowing that, gives us joy and peace. Let’s celebrate! Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Gracious Lord, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for the days you have given me. Thank you for the chance to live with purpose each day, to serve you in every facet of my life. I do need you to teach me to number my days. I can so easily live my life as if it will go on forever. In a sense it will, of course. But I don’t want to waste one moment of my life in this age. I want to experience all that life has to offer and to offer all that I am to you. So, teach me, Lord, to number my days, so that I might grow in wisdom, so that I might live each day in the best possible way. To you be all the glory! Amen.
