“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. “– Psalm 90:12
Over the years I have started the year by thinking on this verse more than any other. I have preached on it on numerous occasions and never cease to see the need for meditating wise request. I recently ran across the following article by one of my favorite writers and thought it just might give you some fresh ideas on the verse. J. R. Miller wrote:
“There are several ways of numbering our days. One way is merely to count them off as we tear off the daily leaves of our calendar. Each evening a man has one day less to live. But that is not true numbering. Another, way is merely to count the days into the aggregate of life. A man is one day older, but that is all. He is no better. He has left no worthy record on the day’s page. The true numbering, is that which fills the days as they pass—with records of godly and beautiful living, and with lines of growth in character.
Just now we are looking back over the story of a closing year. What have we given the days to keep for us? What lessons of wisdom have we learned from them, as one by one they have passed? There is little good in worrying over the failures of the year—but we ought to learn from our past. He is the wise man, not who makes no mistakes—but who does not repeat his mistakes.”
