“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NASB
Sooner Rather Than Later
The Lord and I were having a discussion about death one day, and He told me mine would be “sooner rather than later.” I was a bit surprised, but not shocked… grieved and excited all at the same time. As believers we truly are not of this world, this is not my home, but I do have many loved ones (some unsaved) I will leave behind. I know God’s and my definition of sooner could be very different so I try not to camp out on it much.
When the summer Legacy class came up I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get direction on what I want to say to those loved ones… what are the important things I want them to know about who I was… my dreams, my goals, my successes and failures. Since it will be mostly to my family, I want them to know how important they are to me, and how much I love them. Most importantly though, I want them to know Jesus was and is the center. I pray that if I never wrote a single word, they would already know that. There has been much good, bad and ugly in my life, but the one constant has been Jesus. God has allowed much that I at times would rather He had not, but He has created so many beautiful things out of those ashes (Isaiah 61:3)—things that never would have come to pass without them. I pray my loved ones see the beauty and that they are resilient, relying on their Lord. Hopefully I’ve mirrored how to do these things in my life.
I must admit when my dear friend and the teacher of the Legacy class made a statement regarding some of us maybe needing to write our legacy sooner rather than later, I almost fell out of my chair! This was simply confirmation of the conversation with my Abba Father those months earlier.
I have to confess, I haven’t been very wise with my time in light of this revelation. I have not numbered my days. I am still squandering time in tasks and distractions that will mean nothing in the end, and leave no legacy. So I am praying that God will teach me, as the NLT version says, “to realize the brevity of life.” If I live another day or another thirty years, this life is so short in comparison to eternity. The legacy we leave behind should always be a redemptive one—these are things that happened and this is what God did in the midst of them. It should always point others to the Redeemer and Lover of our very souls.
“Lord, You alone know what sooner rather than later really means, as You number the days we walk on this earth. My prayer is that we use those days wisely, leaving behind a legacy that naturally points others to You. Amen.”
AMEN. Very sobering, but very true. If we all would remember this daily, the world would be a much kinder, nicer place. Very needed devotional & scripture. Thank you for the enlightenment & wisdom….
“Teach Us to Number Our Days is one of Marty Goetz’s songs included in my instructions for my remembrance service! Such an important reminder for those left behind. Father, help us finish faithfully!
Yes! Finish well! God bless you sister, with a heart like that I am sure you are a blessing to your family and creating a beautiful legacy in their hearts!!! C: I too have been reminded lately to be mindful of this very thing, and life is so precious and a gift from God! love well and forgive always!
I heard a heavy sigh leave my body at the end of your message to all of us. I too feel much time has been wasted. Time to do what He told us to do. Sooner than later because we do not know what number He has chosen for us. Each day stands alone and is a bonus . Thank you for the reminder.