Living well.

Ever heard someone say or maybe you have said, "Phew, it was a long day." I have said it, then realized the day had the same amount of minutes as yesterday. It was the content of the day and how I reacted to it that determined the length of said day. As Moses recorded this Psalm 90, he understood difficulties. He was born and placed in a basket then sent down the river (Exodus 2:3). At 40 years of age he killed an Egyptian and fled to Midian (Exodus 2:12) . At 80 years of age he saw a burning bush and heard a command to return to Egypt (Exodus 3:2). At 120 years of age, he led the nation of Israel out of Egypt and onto a "land flowing with milk and honey." (Exodus 3:8)

"The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble

and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is

as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of

wisdom. (Psalm 90:10-12, NIV)

Let's jog our memories and count all the things that make life difficult.

There is:

intense heat.

intense cold.

overcrowded schedules.

impatient people.

poverty.

natural disasters.

violence.

accidents.

illness.

sin. (ours and those of others)

death.

This list is not complete in any stretch of imagination, but you get the idea. In every situation listed above, the question is not, "If this happens" but "when it happens". So, if we understand life to be filled with turmoil and trouble (something that came about because of the Fall in Genesis 3), then our best way forward is learning how to deal with these miserable events.

As I sat this morning munching on an English muffin, I heard a song on the radio. The lyrics rose out of the music and rang true to my ear. The band, 'Switchfoot' has always had a heart for God and their style of music would be described as geared toward a younger generation. I enjoy their particular sound and genre. This line in the song really hit me.

"Life is short; I want to live it well." Switchfoot

Doing a little math this morning produced an ever-changing number. I have lived approximately 20,769 days on this earth. This number includes 9 months of living in utero. Even there, I was at the mercy of the world's difficulties. Each day has been logged and filled with some kind of life. Some days were great and some were the pits. Some were filled with tears and some with laughter. Some were those I wanted to forget and others I wished I could remember better. In every one of these 24 hour periods, living was whatever I brought to the table. Each day was a gift from God to use in some meaningful way. Some days I succeeded and other days I failed. In all of those days, I was never alone and had a loving God overseeing each of my days. I want you to join me in counting the things God has provided us over our lifetime.

There is:

life.

salvation through justification.

ongoing sanctification.

assurance of faith

hope of resurrection.

mercy.

peace.

joy.

love.

patience.

kindness.

goodness.

faithfulness.

self control.

*Our lives are short; let's number them and live them well.