Number Our Days

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.

2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn men back to dust,
saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men."

4 For a thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.

5 You sweep men away in the sleep of death;
they are like the new grass of the morning-

6 though in the morning it springs up new,
by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.

8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.

10 The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span [a] is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

11 Who knows the power of your anger?
For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.

16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor [b] of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Reflection of Bee:

God's term of reference is different from ours. He is immortal, we are mortal. He is eternal, we are transient. His 1-day is our 1000x365-days (v4). That explains why we can't see what He sees. We tend to see the present but He could see our future and have allowed things to happen in our life for our good. For this we could sing for joy.

Yes, we also need God's favour, otherwise the things we do may not be established (v17).

Dear Lord,
I commit all my works and plans to You now. Teach me to number my days and walk in Your favour.
I pray for Your unfailing love to be with me every morning too, that I may sing for joy throughout the day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Psalm 90 written by Moses is probably the oldest Psalm of all. Nevertheless, it contains a timeless, important truth about our time on earth being short and that we should spend it on things that are eternal. But so often, we find ourselves concentrating and channeling all our time and energy on things that are perishable and of little value. We should take time and effort to number our day (v12), to spend them wisely each day, realizing how fragile our lives really are and the urgency of God’s message for us.

Dear Father, thank You that because You are eternal, completely in control and unrestricted by time (v4), I can depend and trust on You. Forgive me of often blinded by the pursuit of temporal fulfillment that I lost track of being an effective follower of Christ. Guide and remind me always to spend my time more wisely and for eternal good. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

This Is A Warning

Deuteronomy 28:58-63

58 If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God- 59 the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. 60 He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. 61 The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. 62 You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God. 63 Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.

Reflection of Bee:

The God we serve is one who is both compassionate and just, loving and righteous. Because of these opposite attributes in God's character, Jesus has to die on the cross to fulfill both of them. Our sinfulness calls for God's punishment on us because He is righteous. Yet His love calls for Jesus to die on the cross on our behalf so that those who accept His redemption can be saved from the wrath of God.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your love, but let us not forget that You are also a righteous God who cannot tolerate sins. I want to ask that right now You will search me and cleanse me from all my unrighteousness. May all my thoughts and words be acceptable in Your sight.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:

I saw a very good Christian book that day where the author hand-picked and categorized all comforting passages in the Bible as a quick reference when we are in despair, discouraged, worry etc. Although this is a good book but we shouldn’t rely entirely on books like this for our walk as a Christian.

Today passage is one of the ‘harsher’ sides of the Bible that gives us the bigger picture of the Bible as our ultimate source in our walk. It helps us to see that God is not a mere genie in a bottle for us to satisfy all our wishes. It takes true humility to acknowledge God is above all our standards of justice, to be an obedient child to God.

Dear Father, thank You for the lesson today, not to only know how to ask and take all the time from You without showing genuine desire to change and to follow all Your commands. Thank You for letting me know that despite some of Your commands seem difficult, but they are entirely for my own good. May all my words and action be pleasing to you always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.