Psalms 90: 9, 12, 17
“For all our days are passed away in thy wrath, we spend our years as a tale that is told.”
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
There is nothing quite like reading a really good book. It is a pleasure to start one and realize it is one that is going to be hard to put down. The Bible tells us in Psalms that our days are likened to a “tale that is told”. We are writing in our journal of life with each new day. Every choice we make, every word we speak and every action we take are part and parcel of our story.
Proverbs is full of instruction regarding how we should live our lives. As we ponder the verses and meditate upon them, prayerfully, we will begin to walk uprightly and our lives will reflect the Spirit of the Lord who abides in us, a testament to our having spent time in His word and in His presence.
Proverbs 2: 1-7
“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee,
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; he is a shield to those who walk uprightly.”
Proverbs 3:1-6
“My son, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments;
For length of days, and long life and peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart;
So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man,
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not upon thine own understanding.
In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
The Lord is instructing us to incline our ear unto wisdom, apply our heart to understanding, to cry after knowledge, to lift up our voice to understanding, to seek wisdom as we would seek silver, and to search for wisdom as we would search for hidden treasure. He further tells us to bind mercy and truth about our neck and write them upon our heart and if we do these things, the word says we shall find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. What a magnificent promise. The word of God is full of promises. We can claim them for ourselves as we do the things He instructs us to do.
We should challenge ourselves to purpose in our hearts to read and meditate on Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. These books will speak truth into our spirit. They will keep us focused like a laser on living a life that is worthy of our calling as a Christian and help us be ever mindful that we are writing our “tale” with each breath that we take. James 4:14 says, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Having a birthday causes us to reflect on our life. I had one recently and found myself “waxing sentimental”, if you will. My heart’s cry is to have lived my life in a way that pleases the Lord. Paul tells us in Philippians 3:13-14 “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We have all missed the mark in our walk of faith. The devil delights in reminding us of every single detail of those times. But God is telling us through Paul that we are to place those things under the precious blood of Christ and press on, moving forward, completing our race with the confidence that we have through our blood covenant with Him.
I love how Ecclesiastes 12:13 says it:
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”
And Malachi 3:16-18
“Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”
May we be among those who “feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” We are writing the tale of our lives every moment of every day. Let us walk circumspectly: cautiously; with watchfulness; with attention to guard against surprise or danger; being prudent with a desire to have careful consideration of our actions.
Above all, remember we are not alone. Isaiah 41:10 says,
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee. Be not dismayed; for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
And so He will. Praise His Name!
afirebynight 