"9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."
I spoke with a friend last night on the phone who had a family member pass away and I was reminded of this psalm.
I love the phrase "we spend our years as a tale that is told." Moses writes in this hymn that our lives amount to nothing more than a story, we can take heart in this however because the power of our story can be left for future generations.
For example:
I only ever saw my Great Grandma Erma a handful of times and yet when I'm trying to manage a four month old and a toddler I console myself with the fact she was able to manage seven children, and survive. I pray I will be able to handle life and children with as much grace as she did.
One of the sweetest memories I have of my Great Grandma Princie was from a moment she wasn't completely lucid in the present, but remembering when she and many people in her church were baptized. Towards the end she would often break into hymns whenever anyone would visit her. I hope that Christ is so overflowing in my heart that when I near the end of my life I still burst into song.
Thinking about this makes me want to learn more family stories, a life isn't spent just in the seventy or so years it is on this earth, it's impact truly does last. What's more is our lives can have an eternal impact, which is the true hope we have in Christ.
Lord enable us to not waste the time we are given on this earth. May we live our lives for you, and may more people come to know your grace because of it.
