It seems like yesterday when we entered 2017, doesn’t it? All too soon we are in August—the eight month– leaving us with just four months to close 2017 should Christ tarry. As I ponder over this, I’m reminded of three experiences over the weekend which made a strong impression on me as to how fleeting life is.

Firstly, on Saturday, I visited my in-laws — my elder sister’s husband’s family— to express my condolences for the loss of a family member. On the day she died, she complained of body weakness and fever. She was sent to the hospital at midday and by evening she was gone. Then on Sunday evening, I attended a family dinner to commemorate the wedding of my brother-in-law. At the dinner, my father-in-law expressed shock when he saw our one year, eight months old boy. He still has memories of him as an infant since the last time he saw him; he said. Time does fly.

Earlier that Sunday, my wife and my father-in-law had travelled to Ho for a naming ceremony in the morning. The day before the journey, I had vehemently protested against her driving for the journey. The truth is that, I was scared of her driving especially since that was her first time on that road and also because of the numerous fatal accidents that had been recorded on that road. At the back of my mind, anything could happen, including death. After a long discussion, I finally gave in and reluctantly agreed for her to drive. They took the journey and thanks to God returned safely.

In these experiences, we are confronted with the truths about two life events — birth and death. Once we are born, we will die. And death comes unannounced. This reality must shape how we spend our pilgrimage on earth. Moses prayed a prayer in Psalm 90 which came to mind while I pondered through these events over the weekend. And I will want us to together examine this prayer and make it our prayer:

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12)

The Eternity Of God

The Israelites have have been wandering in the wilderness enroute to the Promised land since they set off from Egypt. A lot has happened during these times.  In verses 1-11 of Psalm 90, Moses acknowledged God’s hand and presence in their sojourning all these years. He says in v.1 that “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” This is an affirmation of God as the Israelites’ very existence. Indeed God is the Creator to whom we owe our lives. Without him; we are doomed. It is appropriate therefore that we look to God for direction.

Moses’ prayer was an invitation to God to teach them the way of life. It was a prayer of dependence on God. God created us and until we have learnt to depend on him, we will forever live a self-destructive life. It was St Augustine, in his Confessions who said, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.” What place has God in your life? Are you living to please yourself or you acknowledge there is a God who made you and you live to please him?

Life Is Fleeting

Life is short. We are not here to stay forever (Heb.9:27). We are on borrowed time. Human life is so fragile; like leaves, today we are, tomorrow we are gone: “You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers” (Ps.90:5). Moses, not oblivious of humanity’s frailty prayed God to give them wisdom to number their days. This is a prayer not to be wasteful of the few days humankind has on earth. Our days are limited and we must not lose sight of this. Every passing day brings us close to eternity.

Be Wise

Wisdom is the right application of the knowledge we possess. When we pray for God to teach us to number our days; we are in effect praying for wisdom. We see this clearly in Moses’ prayer: “that we may get a heart of wisdom”. Proverbs 90:10 tells us “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Do you fear God? Do you have a relationship with him or you are only living your life to please your self? Repent and turn to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and a restored relationship with God. This my dear friend is the wisest decision you can make and you ought not wait a second longer. Christ is near. Call on him.

In the New Testament, James tells us that “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God. ” He didn’t stop at that; he assured us that that prayer would be answered: [God] gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5). Paul in his letter to the Ephesians admonished them saying “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph.5:15-16 KJV).

Your life is not your own. You are accountable to God who made you. How are you living in this temporal life? Is it for God or for self?

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So soon we are in June 2016. We thank God for a new month. I trust before we entered 2016, you made a few resolutions. How well have you done with your resolutions? How have you fared so far in the first half of the year? It was the Apostle Paul who wrote “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realise this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?— unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2Corinthians 13:5). The Greek philosopher, Socrates, also said “an unexamined life is not worth living”.

You see, self-examination and evaluation is crucial in all we do. At the end of our lives this side of eternity, we will be called to account before God. If this is true (and it is true), then our lives here matters. How we live and what we do with our temporal stay here is therefore crucial to our eternal destiny. As we enter a new month, I want to glean a few lessons from Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 which I trust will be valuable as you pilgrim through the second half of the year.

1. Seek Your Creator.

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…”(v.1a)

Many people live their lives disregarding God. They will do everything else but commit their lives to live and obey God. Don’t be one of them. The days of your youth as used here by Solomon I believe indicates the days of strength, wellness and ability. Comfort and “good days” have the ability to blind us to spiritual realities  and we must guard against this. Jesus tells us to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Notice how Solomon contrasts “the good days of strength (the days of your youth)” with the evil day when you have lost your strength: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come…” (Ecclesiastes 12:1a). You see, there is a correlation between how we live our lives and what place God has in our lives in moments of prosperity, good health and comfort. The tendency to forget there is a creator is high. Thus, Solomon’s call to “Remember our Creator is appropriate as we go through the rest of the year.

How will you invest your life in the good days in relation to your Creator? The choice is yours. But remember, you have an opportunity to turn to your creator, if you haven’t. Be also reminded that, “…God is not mocked, for whatever one sows , that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life”(Galatians 6:7-8).

2: Use Time Wisely

“..before  the evil days come and the years draw near”(v.1b).

Picking up from the previous point, there will indeed be a transition from youthfulness to a period when youthful strength, opportunities and abilities will be gone. Which obviously includes opportunity to live in submission and obedience to God. Isn’t it amazing that so soon June is with us? It is said that, “time waits for no man” and it is true. J. Oswald Sanders in his book,  Spiritual Leadership, wrote that “Each moment of the day is a gift from God that deserves care, for by any measure, our time is short and the work is great. Minutes and hours wisely used translate into an abundant life—  living a God pleasing life”.

We will be held accountable for how we lived our lives and what we spent our time on. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians warning them about the use of time. He said: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil”.(Eph 5:15-16). Time is precious and we need to apply wisdom in our usage of time. Aptly, Moses prayed: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”(Ps. 90:12KJV).

Will you make that your prayer?

3: Death, A Reality of Life

“…man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— before the silver cord is snapped , or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered
at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it” (vv.5-7)

We see death clearly spoken of here. Death is inevitable. We will all die, because “… it is appointed unto men once to die….” (Hebrews 9: 27). Death is a reality of life, as natural as birth is. Once we are born, we will die. Ecclesiastes 3:2 tells us there is  “A time to be born, and a time to die…”. Every passing month and similarly every passing year brings us closer to the end of our days here on earth. We don’t get a notification when death will knock at our door. Death will not wait for you to accomplish your projects, dreams and desires. You are not too busy to die. You don’t have the luxury of postponing your death.

Have you considered the state of your soul? “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts”(Heb 3:15).

4: Eternity–eternal life or damnation–Beckons.

“…man is going to his eternal home… and the spirit returns to God who gave it (vv5-7).

There is an eternal home for all of us. Either we will have eternal life or eternal damnation. As we begin a new month, and as you consider all that has been said in the previous points, bear in mind our life here is only temporal. Eternity awaits all of us and whether we will be in heaven or hell depends on what we do with God’s offer of eternal life. We are all sinners and until we come to faith in Christ, we are eternally separated from God. Don’t just embrace a new month, embrace also God’s gift of eternal life through faith in Christ:

For God so loved the world , that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

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