Time Is Fleeting

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” - Psalm 90:12

One of the greatest football coaches of all time was Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at the University of Alabama. When he died, his family found a crumpled, yellowed piece of paper in his wallet. He had obviously carried it with him for years and had folded it and unfolded it and read it many times. It said, “This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is very important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place that I have traded for it. I want it to be a gain, not a loss – good not evil. Success, not failure in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.”

We are living in tumultuous times. It seems everywhere you turn there is conflict, arguments, contention, or strife. I believe, however, that there is one truth on which we can all agree. No matter our race, gender, political or religious views we can all agree on this: Time is one of our most precious limited resources. Most of us struggle to fit all of our responsibilities into busier-than-ever schedules. “Time is money” is a widely held belief. Important documents are deemed “time-sensitive.” Most people understand the importance of time.

Although most of us would agree that time is important, oftentimes we fail to remember that it is also fleeting. There are only two ways for us to use the precious resource of time, and that is wisely or unwisely. Thankfully, God has not left us on our own to figure out how we should use our time. In Psalm 118:24 God says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Here we learn that each day is a gift from God…a day that He has made and entrusted to each of us. Our response to His gift should be joy and gladness. We don’t have to wake up when the alarm clock goes off; we get to wake up! Think of the alternative.

Psalm 90:12 teaches us that numbering our days can lead to a heart of wisdom. Numbering our days means living with the realization that our days are numbered. God doesn’t want us to live in fear or dread at the brevity of time, but rather to live with a spirit of gratitude for His gift of each new day. Viewing our time in this way will help us to prioritize what is important instead of being ruled by what seems urgent at the moment.    

Father, Thank You for the gift of this new day. Please help me to number it so that I can use my time wisely. Show me what You want to do in and through me today. In Jesus’ name, amen.