The Best Use of your Time

Psalms 90

"Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men...In the morning it

flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth... So teach us to number

our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. O satisfy us early with thy mercy;

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days... Make us glad according to the days wherein

thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto

thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. 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.” (v.3,6,12,13,14,17)

This psalm was believed to be authored by Moses and and included as a foundational writing for the people of God. In order to gain the intended meaning we must consider the fall of mankind from the very beginning. We were not created with an expiration date in mind. The gift of love and sharing that love is the highest treasure of life and living. But love requires free Will to experience it. Two trees were provided in the garden of Eden. One was the tree of knowledge,the other was the tree of life. However, humanity brought down a curse when they used their free will to choose disobedience, leading to banishment from the garden. Man no longer had

access to the tree of life. That is when death entered into the world with all the associated turmoil and sorrow. God even then did not abandon us. His love for mankind was too great to dismiss. That is where his own son was provided as a sacrifice for the our death sentence, in order to retain his wayward children eternally. It was the only way to restore us in fellowship

with God.

The curse of our earthly lives remain with the burdens from disobedience. This is what is stated in the verse, "Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men”. We were formed from dust and we will end as dust. The verse goes on to say "In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth”. Our curse was

brought on by disobedience that all man now bears. Despite our limited scope of a social status,despite our wealth, or level of achievement; we all are made the same and we will all share a

common end as dust. That is quite humbling.

It is with this awareness of our limited existence on earth that Moses makes the request, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”. Life is short and our journey together has no guaranteed duration. That is the reason for us to make life count. Moses shares the object of our life can only be accomplished through honoring God, “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days... Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.”

Our lives have much suffering, sorrows and pain. But we have a unique honor to contribute wisdom, instruction and encouragement to those who follow after us. By passing on our own experience and by sharing God with others, we will be instrumental in the peace and unity of future generations. This is the work that is so important for us all. Even though we bear death in

our body we can still live in fellowship with our eternal God. This was the original plan from the beginning. This is where we are brought in the passage conclusion, "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.”. May we all reflect on the contribution we can make for peace and unity in our world. Let us keep moving the flag forward as God’s people. Have a great day, my friends.