NUMBERING OUR DAYS

PSALMS 90:1

A. "SO TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS, THAT WE MAY APPLY OUR HEARTS UNTO WISDOM"
  1. You will note, dear reader:
    1. That the ninetieth Psalm points out the frailty of man - the uncertainty of his days
    2. That one should pause and think about the brevity of human existence
  2. The admonition is to help us:
    1. To plan our life that each day we live, we will get the most good out of it
    2. It is the Lord's counsel to the careless and indifferent B. NUMBERING OUR DAYS
  3. Days to be well numbered, must be estimated in the light of eternity:
    1. Days may seem many, but when measured in the light of eternity are but very few
    2. Man's days are compared in the scripture to a weaver's shuttle - Job 7:6; passing shadow - Ps. 102:11; 109:23; a shepherds tent - Is. 38:12; as a vapor that appeareth for a little time - James 4:14
    3. Days may seem to go slowly, yet they move very fast - "Thou carriest them away as with a flood" - Ps. 90:5
  4. Days well numbered:
    1. Will not allow the putting off of duty
    2. Never put off the duty of the day, for tomorrow may never come to thee - says the Preacher, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what day may bring forth" Prov. 27:1; Examples: The plans of the rich farmers back-fired on him - Luke 12:16-20; the man that plans for tomorrow to get gain is foolish - James 4:13-15
    3. "Today, if ye hear His voice, harden not your heart" - Heb. 3:7-9
  5. Days well numbered:
    1. Must seem too solemn to be spent carelessly; for man must give an account to God for how he uses his time
    2. It must make man conscious of Divine help to use the day aright - "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" - Deut. 33:25 - is the promise to them that trust in the Lord day by day C. "TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS, THAT WE MAY APPLY OUR HEARTS UNTO WISDOM"
  6. Length of life at times is a doubtful thing:
    1. The aged are put aside from the activities of life by failing health - the powers of the body no longer measure up to the demands of life
    2. The aged must bear the burden of failing powers - the eye sight begins to become dim; the hearing is failing, and the muscles of the body no longer respond as they used to
    3. The aged often find their heaviest trouble in reaping the sins of their youth "he that soweth upon the flesh, shall reap of the flesh corruption" - Gal. 6:7-8
    4. But, perhaps, the most and the heaviest trouble in old age will be loneliness - when a companion is taken away from us and we are left alone
  7. What is the wisdom to which we should apply our hearts?
    1. It is that which leads us to so use this life as the preparation for the life that is eternal
    2. This life is our school, our training ground; the scene of our education for eternity
    3. What folly, them to waste and squander such precious seasons
    4. This wisdom teaches us to realize how short and transitory our life is as we indicated before
    5. It will help us to live and pray that every impression life makes upon us will fit us better for the life in the world to come
  8. Why are we so slow to number our days?
    1. Because we do not relish the task that will make us conscious of the uncertainty of our life
    2. We persuade ourselves that there really is no need of taking life too seriously - we reason like the foolish rich farmer did - Luke 12:16-20
    3. But the root of our hesitancy is found in that we have become so attached to this present life that we hate to think of something else
  9. We shall be wise to learn:
    1. That we are not our own masters of our own destiny


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