Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 NIV
Wise Heart
Canadians have been blessed over the years by the wisdom of some of our famous leaders. Journalist Linden MacIntyre said, “I think celebrity in all but exceptional cases of personal integrity and a measure of humility, always has a dark side.” The painter Alex Colville said, “It’s the ordinary things that seem important to me.” Journalist Sally Armstrong once said, “Moral courage is a concept that isn’t talked about but is always noticed by its absence.” All of us need to have a heart that is wise.
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In 2021, author Oliver Burkeman released a book called “4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.” We don’t like to think of ourselves as mortal, but we are – we live an average of 4000 weeks. To put things into perspective, I’ve currently lived 3529 weeks. That means, if I live the average lifespan of a Canadian male, I only have 473 weeks left. Maybe more and maybe less, but it is sobering to ponder this. Which is why Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” We can live our lives oblivious to our mortality. We can convince ourselves that life will just keep going on, that death isn’t real and eternity doesn’t await. What the Psalmist is reminding us is that it is foolish to think this way. It is much wiser to be aware of the brevity of life, and by so doing, pouring ourselves into only those things that have eternal worth. As the old saying goes, “Only one life, will soon be passed… only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Number your days, and then be about things that have eternal significance.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley