Often I work better knowing a deadline approaches. A countdown spurs my psyche into action. Even with boring tasks during the workday (like plowing through emails), I impose an artificial deadline—clear this inbox by noon—to motivate me to get to work.

Moses encouraged us to count our days for better reasons when he wrote, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

The older I get, the more I count days. Life shortens, and I want to concentrate on the important things, like family, friends, health, security and meaningful work. The rest of my days may be abundant, but I hope to approach them with insight gleaned from the Lord.

A few lines later Moses shared an nugget of wisdom important to those who number their days. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

Perhaps I spend my days best when sharing aspects of the Lord’s love and grace with my children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, their children and those that follow, cascading His splendor down generations.

Moses closed his psalm with a prayer, a hopeful blessing for me and you as we take stock of our days:

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 90 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by charlesdeluvio