I was reflecting on Moses’ prayer in Psalm 90 yesterday and was pondering over his profound statement, “A thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.” (Psa. 90:4) The prophet had just begun describing the eternal greatness of God when he turned to contrast it with the short span of man’s existence. I pondered over verse four and tried to relate it with me and my own context.
I am not very good at Maths and so after struggling for a while, I took the help of my wife and together we attempted to calculate that if a thousand years is like one day to God, then the span of a man’s life—which Moses pegs at 70 or at best 80 years—would be 0.07 of a day to God. We converted this to hours and figured that by man’s standard of calculation, a total span of 70 years of man would roughly work out to about 90 minutes in God’s sight. I am just over 50 years so that leaves me with just about a score of years left. When translated to time in God’s sight, this works out to approximately 30 minutes. Judging however from all that is happening in the world around us and assessing it with all the prophesies that the Bible has given us, so that we might ascertain the season we are in; I feel that even 10 more years on this earth could be a luxury. Where does this leave me if I were to look at my years in God’s sight? Not more than 15 minutes.
Now these calculations are primitive and would be totally flawed; for God’s time is not calculated by our time and God’s realm is very, very different from our realm but the point we can heed to is that if a thousand years is like a day in God’s sight, then my years on earth are minutes to Him. Moses continues his prayer by highlighting man’s temporal nature. He writes, “You sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.” (Psa. 90:5, 6 NIV) Isaiah corroborates this when he says, “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isa. 40:6-8) David associates man’s days by using a different allegory—a span of a hand (Psa. 39:5).
Nothing I have written is not known. We have probably read these verses several times and you can explain them better. The purpose of this writing however is to pray like Moses: Teach me to number my days, that I may gain a heart of wisdom (Psa. 90:12).
Give me a heart of understanding, dear Master, that I will walk each day in Thy path—for all Thy paths are life and peace (Rom. 8:6). I know that if with Thy help I am faithful to walk each day in paths of righteousness (Psa. 23:3), it will yield the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23). At home with my family, at work with my colleagues, wherever I am Lord, let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. Thou didst teach us Lord Jesus that it is by this that the Father is glorified (Jn. 15:8). Thou didst warn us my Saviour that it’s not the prophesying in Thy name that counts but doing the will of the Father that matters (Mt. 7:21-23). Thou hast in no uncertain terms commanded us that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven—for the ‘doing’ must precede the ‘teaching’ (Mt. 5:19, 20). I appeal to Thee Oh Saviour—for You alone can rescue, You alone can save me from the various snares that are way-laid before me—deliver me from all evil (Mt. 6:13).
Teach me to number my days, that I will live with the mind of a sojourner all my days on this earth (Heb. 11:9, 10) laying up for myself treasures in heaven (Mt. 6:19, 20) and not amassing riches on earth with the futility of not knowing who will gather them (Psa. 39:6). Give me a heart of wisdom dear Lord, the wisdom that is from above because Thy word teaches us that this wisdom is pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering and without hypocrisy (Jas. 3:17). With this wisdom, help me to seek first Thy kingdom and Thy righteousness (Mt. 6:33) for Thou wilt satisfy me in the morning with Thy lovingkindness that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days (Psa. 90:14). Short as my days are, help me to set my mind on the things that are above where Christ is seated (Col. 3:2) knowing that in doing that, Thou will cause Thy favour to be upon me and will confirm for me the work of my hands (Psa. 90:17). Hear my cry Lord and in Thy faithfulness, answer my prayer. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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