Moments for the Heart

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life,  so that we may grow in wisdom.”  -Psalm 90:12 NLT

We are all guilty of it. We take life for granted. We think we will live forever and we make plans for what we think our future holds. We base our decisions on what we desire for ourselves. We develop a lived out sense of hope, that our best interests will come first.

Overabundance

In Luke 12, The Rich Fool was schooled in the effects of self-centered thinking. He made plans to expand his riches because of his abundance. He had no consideration for the brevity of life. His life was demanded of him that night as he lay in bed dreaming of the easiness of life that was to come because of his own ingenuity.

Overexpectance

James, in his epistle, cautions the believer about boasting about tomorrow. He calls life, “…a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes…”(4:14b NIV). All our plans should be predicated on “…if it is the Lord’s will…”(4:15a NIV). Making plans that concern our own well-being are futile without God’s direction in mind.

Psalm 90 is a prayer Moses is giving to God. The Israelites have little consideration for their lives that are passing them by. All they care to do is live in their sins. Moses prays for God to teach them to consider how short life is (v12NLT). God desires them to remember His goodness and turn away from their secret sins that are bringing His wrath and their inevitable death.

The Truth of the Matter

People are born, people die. I will die someday. You will also. So, how are you and I living right now? Are we living our lives like the rich fool, with our eyes set on making plans for our prosperous future? Maybe we aren’t as ambitious. Perhaps we only plan for what tomorrow may hold. Even then, we can be admonished for our over-preparedness when it is misplaced. Is God, then, against making plans?

Human Nature

We are human. We have a natural desire to want to take control of what we have control over. We want life to run smoothly. So we plan. If our life isn’t under control, we get anxious. (And I am the king of anxious). It’s like we can’t breathe and then we tend to make rash decisions that affect our lives for the worse. God wants to free us from anxiety. He desires to protect us from those ill-fated hurried decisions we make. It’s okay to plan for our future. Just as long as we know that the outcome is all in His hands.

The Lord’s Will

When we decide to live our lives in an “If it’s the Lord’s will” mindset, then we are choosing to put Him first. He gave us this life. He gave us a preset number of days on earth. So, how are we going to spend those days? Wallowing in our sin, like the Israelites? Planning for a future that isn’t there, like the rich fool? Or are we going to make each choice with consideration of God’s direction? And celebratind the unique life He has given you and me that is far better than we could ever imagine.

For only He can give us the wisdom to make the most of each brief moment.

Originally posted April 24, 2017.