Teach Us To Number Our Days

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom – Psalm 90:12

This prayer of Moses is well-known. As mortal creatures prone to forgetfulness,  we need to repeat the prayer. There are many things vying for our attention, and it is unwise to ignore the need to number our days.

Word is out that the life expectancy of Singaporeans is longer, in comparison with our predecessors.  While this is true, the fact remains that all of us have an expiry date.  Living longer does not equate to living forever here on earth. We cannot be lulled into complacency.

Hence the wisdom – living the present with the end in mind.  Our temporal life on earth must be lived with eternity in view.  The caution not to be so heavenly-minded that we become of no earthly use may be a fallacy.

Paul admonishes – 1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth – Col 3:1,2.

Referring to those who died in faith, the writer said – 16. . . they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city’ (Heb 11:16).  It is no wonder that he concludes his book in Heb 13:14 – ‘14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.’

We can be heavenly-minded and at the same time be of earthly use.  May we seek to ‘lay up treasures in heaven’ (Matt 6:19-21) – which calls for a heavenly-minded lifestyle, by how we conduct our lives on earth.

Richard Lai