Countdown

"Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am." Psalm 39:4

Good morning, dear friends!

Our kids went back to school yesterday morning from their last (for this school year) break before the "big vacations" that start in July.

Let's just say that there were some reluctant children heading off for school today.

It's strange that when they arrive at the last day before a vacation, I can't get them out the door fast enough.  They are so excited to start, that I don't have to encourage them much.  I guess they figure, if that start sooner, they'll finish sooner.

I can't blame them.

To help my children, especially my youngest son Joshua, get motivated for the remaining days, we counted down on the calendar.  Just 35 more school days.  Even that didn't encourage him much.  So, I counted out 35 small candies and put them in the smallest glass that we own.  I told my children that everyday one of them would eat a candy, and when there were no more candies in the jar, then we were on vacation.

This seemed to perk them up.  After all, they saw that there really weren't that many candies in the glass, and the prospect of having a piece every third day was appealing to them.

WHEW--necessity really is the mother of invention!

My kids know that their time at school is limited.  They know that they have only a few short days until vacation starts.  And that final countdown is the most important thing to them right now.

If only I considered my days in the same way...

I was thinking about my life's countdown today, and I came across a verse I don't ever remember reading before in Psalm 39: 4:  "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am." As I attempted to memorize this verse, I took the verse apart piece by piece:

"Lord, make me to know...": God alone knows how many days I will have on this earth.  He has counted out my days, like I did with the candies in the glass for my children.  Still, I can ask God to make me conscient of the time that is left for me.

"...mine end..." Every life on earth one day will come to an end, and mine is not an exception.  Instead of living in fear of the how of my life's end, I should be concerned with 1) how I live my days, and 2) where I am headed when this life is over.

"...and the measure of my days, what it is..."  Since I know that God already knows the length of my life, the height and the breadth  are what preoccupy me in this part of the verse.  My life will reach as high as heaven, but will I take people with me?   My life will be as wide and far reaching as I allow God's love to reach through me today.

"...that I may know how frail I am."  Even in my physical strength, I am weak.  My life is so short compared with eternity, and with an eternal God.  May God help me to remember how quickly life will be over, and to do everything I can to buy back the opportunities that God places in front of me today.

Psalm 39:5 is food for another day, but worth adding on to this verse: "Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand breadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity."

How short my life is, compared with my God.  How vain and empty are my days, if He is not in the center of them.

Lord, teach me to be mindful of the days you entrust to my life...