Death is an uncomfortable subject, one which our society at large goes to great lengths to avoid. There is also something about being young that makes most people think death is a long way off. This passage expounds the benefit of contemplating the fact that death is all too soon and that, by keeping it in the fore, God leads us to wisdom.
10 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.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:10-12, ESV)
We are heading steadily along the conveyor belt that leads towards death and, unless Jesus returns prior, we must all experience the first death. Becoming accustomed to our finitude, in fearful recognition of God’s powerful anger, allows wisdom to seep in. The Psalmist intimates that we are doing well to get to eighty. Even with all the benefits of modern medicine, Australia’s average life expectancy has only crept slightly above the 80 years mentioned by Psalmist, meaning I’ve already expended half the average lifespan where I live. Yet, there are no guarantees about how many days we will get, the most we can say is we’ll each live as long as God has determined. Life is short, use it wisely.
Eternal Father, bring us to the doorstep of wisdom as we contemplate the fact that life is brutally short. It can be strangely cathartic to confront our mortality in contrast to the enduring God that You are. In this first life, we must work hard for a living, all the while dealing with life’s obstacles that pop up and then we must face Your judgement. For the sake of Your Son Who died for us, make us victorious over sin so we may escape the second death (Revelation 2:11, 21:8). Help us not to waste Your precious gift of life.
Sparks 