By 
Earlier this year Larry King died at the age of 84. While I didn’t know him personally, he was familiar to me. Numerous news reports heralded his life and listed his achievements. As I watched the parade of his accomplishments, I contemplated my own life. I was 24 years away from being the same age as Larry King when he died. The recognition of the brevity of my remaining years brought a chill of fear and an ever-growing wave of panic. I had so many things left to do, and not very much time left to do them!
This may seem like a strange and unscientific way to look at my future, but for some reason I could not get away from these thoughts. They haunted me. Running through my head like a low murmur in a crowded room, gaining volume in the quiet of the night, they kept me awake.
My mind wandered to my plans and dreams, spoken and unspoken, that had yet to be realized. I began to feel that I had seriously wasted time. With the end fast approaching I was forced to recognize that some, if not most of those things might not happen. My legacy, real and imagined, was not likely to be what I had envisioned.
A couple of months ago I found myself facing the somber and difficult task of sorting through my mother’s belongings as she was moving into a care facility. Having been encouraged by mom to help myself to anything I would like, I was elbow deep in sweaters, scarves, pins, earrings, and necklaces. As I surveyed her treasured belongings I thought how, at one time these things seemingly defined her. Now they were just reminders of a life that was fading, my mom’s vibrant personality muted by age and sickness. I knew my mother’s days were more than colorful clothing and piles of jewelry, but what was the measure?
I was reading Psalm 90, and verse 12 caught my attention: So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom (ESV). Aside from the usual idea of treasure, accomplishment, or success, I want to gain a heart of wisdom. According to this verse, weighing out, enumerating my days, may help to get me there. But what does it mean to count our days?
Psalm 90:5-6 (ESV) tells us that our lives, regardless of their actual length, are like a dream, like grass that…fades and withers. It seems that numbering our days means that we acknowledge that our lives are brief, our dying may be soon, and pondering these truths leads to wisdom. Knowing that in relation to eternity our time on earth is short, should motivate us to want to make good use of our days and our labor.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV) tells us that if we abound in the work of the Lord, our labor will count for something. What we do with our days, however we spend our time, when we are in Jesus Christ and working because of Him causes them to have value.
Maybe numbering our days means we make a change, take a risk, or follow a path that no one else is on, all for the purpose of bringing glory to God. Or perhaps counting our days is that we notice each moment, no matter how small, as a gift from a loving Father who is producing a thankful heart in us.
The idea of wisdom includes good judgment and knowledge, predicated on experience.
As we recognize the swift passage of time we can look to each new day as an opportunity to experience life in Jesus Christ. Depending on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction, we endeavor to obey regardless of our own desires. We measure the weight of our days by keeping the faith.
As I look back at those recent events, I can see that realizing the truth of Psalm 90:12 requires me to place each day in the hands of my heavenly Father. He has a plan and a purpose for it all. Trusting Him, I am free to spend however many days I have left seeking to glorify Him by living out the truth and wisdom of His Word:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
—Luke 10:27, ESV
And as I number my days, I will seek to wisely use my time, treasure, and talent, with one eye on the present and the other on that one glorious day when I see Him face to face.
Nanette Smith
A transplanted Texan, Nanette Smith spent most of her life in western Pennsylvania where she and her husband Tom raised their 6 children. When not homeschooling her children or helping her husband run his construction business, Nanette volunteered with Samaritan’s purse, crisis pregnancy centers, and served as Women’s Ministry Director. In 2013 God moved Nanette and her family to Texas and she attended her first Womenary class in 2016. Currently Nanette works as the Missions Coordinator at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview, TX. When not working or playing with one of her 11 grandchildren, Nanette enjoys reading, writing, photography and baking. 
