Happy New Year!!
Well, not that the year is so new anymore. It's a few weeks old now, and we've all started to get back into our regular routine of life. But nonetheless, I wanted to share a couple of verses with you all that will (hopefully) help you out a little this year. :)
I would encourage you to read this whole Psalm, but I'm just going to show you these verses:
"For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away
Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
- Psalm 90:9-12
Just think about those verses for a minute and what they're saying. First thing they're telling us, is that life is short. We are only given a few years to live this life before "it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
The next thing these verses tell us is to number our days, which goes hand in hand with the previous verse. We need to remember that life is short. I forget how short life is very, very often. When I forget, I flippantly misuse the days given me and use my time up on nothing. When I do this, I am wasting precious time. And I don't even mean wasting time on things like the Internet, or TV, though things like that do apply. I waste a lot of time by misusing it, like I said earlier. Misusing it usually means hiding out it my room because I don't want to talk to anyone. Or not taking up an opportunity to help or encourage someone. Or sulking over something silly. Doing this makes me miss out on valuable time with my family, miss out on a chance to bless someone else and myself, and miss out on time that could be applied to something far greater. Remember how precious time is, and don't waste it.
'So, what do I do instead of wasting my time?' This next part of the verse gives the answer to that question. "... that we may apply our heart unto wisdom." Instead of wasting time, use it on something worthwhile; finding and learning about wisdom. And the place to find the wisdom that you need is in your Bible. You can literally open up your Bible to any page, and get something from it. Even if you have to dig really deep, there is something there for you to find that is going to help you out, change you heart, change your life. Whatever you need, God will give to you if you ask. Another thing you can do that will really help you find wisdom, is going to church. By "the foolishness of preaching" God will speak to you if you let him. Ask God before you go to open your heart and mind to His Word, and be ready to get something from it!
Finally, let's go back to verse nine. "We live our lives as a tale that is told." Our lives are like a story. This story can be beautiful and joyous. It can be dark and wretched. It can be meaningful. It can be worthless. Remember that your life is telling a tale, and what it will about and how it will end is up to you. Apply your heart to wisdom, and seek God in all you do, and He will help you to live a story worth telling.
Have a meaningful year, fellow Stories. :)
MR
