Young People's Group

TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS

by Pastor Mitch
September 30, 2007

A Prescribed Short Life Span

Life is short. There is no escaping from this truth. While many of us may have the benefit of youth today, the reality of the matter is that the days and years of our life pass us by faster than we think they would. The earlier we are able to realize this inevitable truth, the better we will be in managing life. Life has been prescribed by God.

“We finish our years like a sigh.
The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” 
Psalm 90:9-10

The Lord had determined that mankind would have an average life span of 70 years. If we are strong, we will be able to live up to 80 and above. And yet, the Psalmist wrote of how mankind finished their years like a sigh. Moses must have seen much labor and sorrow when the Hebrews were under slavery in Egypt. There was a tinge of sadness as he considered how transitory life was. Young people, we too need to wise up to this fact.

The Problem Of Incurring God’s Wrath

“For we have been consumed by Your anger,
And by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You” 
Psalm 90:7-8

Not only is life short, it is made worse when people incur the wrath of God. When the people of Israel refused to go into the Promised Land, they had to walk in the wilderness for 40 years. Many of the people who rebelled against Him were consumed in the wilderness. Their lives passed away in the wilderness because of the Lord’s wrath and judgment on them. Life is already short. Should we still incur the wrath of God in this life? We must not.

Prayer For Wisdom To Live Wisely And Well

“So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” 
Psalm 90:12

Moses saw how important it was to pray to God as his Teacher in life. He saw the great need to seek guidance from Him. The best teacher anyone can have in life is God our Father. We too need the Lord to help us realize how ephemeral life is and how we must live it with a greater sense of urgency. One of the most vital challenges of life is to gain a heart of wisdom that we may choose with prudence how we want to live. When people are foolish and they live as recusant children to God’s ways, they bring upon themselves His wrath and punitive judgment. It is imperative that we do not deliberately walk in sin against the Lord. Let’s seek to depend always on the Lord in prayer for wisdom and find a greater sense of urgency to live our lives prudently and blamelessly.

Back to Article Listing