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The psalmist acknowledges the immortality and eternal nature of  God and exposes the fragility and ephemeral nature of man, and calls on God to be merciful and gracious to him. 

REFLECTION

Counting our days is the theme for our reflection today. We usually use the celebration of our birthdays to count our days on earth. As God-fearing believers, merely counting our days must not be a numerical exercise but an act of acknowledging God’s grace and faithfulness to us. One of the fundamental reasons for which we pray for long life is to spend more time with the people we love and cherish. We again wish to live long so that we can accomplish our God-given mission and also enjoy the fruits of our labour. Unfortunately, the life span of some people are very short and others are long but in general, our days on earth is short because God “… sweeps them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. (Psalms 90:5-6) The ones with longer life spans have to live to battle with ailment and the challenges of ageing. The psalmist rightly describes it as “the years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. (Psalms 90:10). 

It is important to count our days as we grow to enable us to deepen our relationship with our maker. It is for this reason the psalmist wrote that “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12).  What then is wisdom? “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10). To put it another way, as we grow, we must fear God and know His will, that is the only way we are able to gain wisdom and insight to please God on this earth.

As we count our days, we learn to acknowledge the use of time and serve God with our lives. We do not have to wait to become aged persons before we appreciate the value of counting our days, that grace may not be available to us.“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) This is a message to the youth and children, as we count our days, let us be good stewards of the time, body and resources God has blessed us with. We must serve God to the best of our ability and participate in church activities such as cleaning the place of worship with our youthful energy, get involved in liturgical practices such as leading worship, reading of scripture and endeavour to spread the Word of God. We must make ourselves available to be used for the glory of God. We are encouraged to participate in communal labour and developmental projects that need the participation of the youth. “Rejoice, O young man (or woman), in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9) 

When we are done counting our days on earth “man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—  … and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 12:5-8). For we those who are among the living, as we count our days, we must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,  for it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13 ) We must trust and obey God in our daily walk of life and “If possible, so far as it depends on us, live peaceably with all. “(Romans 12:18). The days of our lives start with God and end in the hands of God, that is why  Jesus said in Revelation 21:6-8 that  “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty, I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” My dear friend, the choice is yours to make now,  “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:15). Shalom 

PRAYER 

MERCIFUL GOD, TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS THAT WE MAY GET A HEART OF WISDOM.  AMEN. (Psalm 90:12)

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)