I have approximately 35 minutes before what I’m assuming is the final online session of the Lausanne Congress. I do want to play catch-up on my writing, but more importantly, in letting out whatever is in my head.
Through my reading of the Daily Bread, today’s article hit a little harder than usual… and for that reason I’d like to go through the Scripture it shared. I really should be going through Romans 13, as we will be ‘going back’ to discussing the book of Romans this coming Sunday… but, for now, let’s take a really quick dip into Psalm 90.
From Everlasting to Everlasting
A PRAYER OF MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
We want to give thanks to Christ – for through Christ, who gave us the Holy Spirit, we are not only able to call the Creator our intimate Father, but, see here, we’re also thankful because we’re able to see Him as our dwelling place. And He is our Dwelling Place in all generations – beyond seasons and events, to say He is a Dwelling Place in all generations gives us a perspective of God’s faithfulness to us.
Indeed, He is faithful; And, I dare say, He is faithful as He is – God before the mountains, the earth, and the world were formed, His faithfulness is as He is – Everlasting, to everlasting. No beginning, no end.
3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.
In a couple of verses, Moses proclaims the sheer reliability and faithfulness of the Creator, and in the next, as if as a natural response, he reminds himself and all of us of how fragile we are – by way of showing how the concept of time is as a plaything to Him.
So much happens within a second all across the world – babies are born at the same time people breathe their last breath, the hearts of billions more are fortunate to beat once more, and how much more the thoughts conceived, and all the thoughts maintained – all, within a single second! How much more is contained within a minute, an hour, a day – and a month, and a year, and a decade, and even a hundred decades!
…yet all of it is as in one day in the eyes of the One who created time, and is Himself beyond time.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.
The One who made time and is Himself beyond time knows all our days, and He certainly knows all iniquity done within all of it. Not only that, but He also knows what thoughts we have through all of our days, down to the ‘secret sins’; these, as in all of our being, are seen by Him, clearly in His light.
11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
How are we to respond to such a great and mighty God? In Christ, how are we to respond to this magnificent Creator, whom we call our Father?
As Moses prayed, so we pray – Yes, Father, teach us to number our days. Let us realize, let us remember and even appreciate that we are we are bound within time, and oh, what a small amount of days we have, compared to the many days there have been since the dawn of time!
13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
Yes, Father, in our brought to humility, considering how we have such a small amount of time here in this reality of many days – we pray, as Moses did:
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love. Let me take my first breaths in the morning giving thanks to you, instead of automatically defaulting to reaching out for my phone. Cause me, in Your love, to rejoice first thing every day, unto all the days I have left.
For our days of affliction, and for the years we have seen and experienced the evil of this life, oh, may You fill us with gladness – gladness to cover all we’ve gone through, gladness to engulf all the disappointment and frustration.
Show us Your good works, Father! Proclaim and project your glorious power to us! Let us know, today, as in all our days, of Your favor which is always upon us – establish the work of our hands!
In Jesus’ name, amen.
10 minutes to go till the online session. Nice.
Until the next post, which will probably be notes from that said session… God bless us all.
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