Chasing after the wind....

"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

"Time well spent"

There are days where everything goes so fast, that life seems a blur.
We may even forget what day it is. The monotony of life becomes toilsome and vain.
Solomon describes it best in Ecclesiastes 1:14, he writes, " I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

It can all seem so repetitive at times, months fly by, and another year has passed and nothing really meaningful seems to be taking place. The relationship between Christ and yourself, can seem to be growing further apart, because busyness has taken it's toll, and other priorities have taken precedence. The hunger you once had, has diminished and the savor for Christ seems to be losing it's flavor. The once longing thirst for Him, has been fulfilled by meaningless things and the Spirit of God has been quenched. Ouch, that hurts! But it's the truth for many of us.

We get so confined in our daily lives, it can almost seem like a daily prison of mundane activities. We wake up, thank the Lord for another day, get the kids on their way to school and head to work and then it's dinner, homework, along with Facebook posts and tweets in between and a whole of list of other things. Before you know it the day is spent. And once it is spent, it is gone and cannot be counted again. It is "spent", like the loose change in a corner pocket, or the bottom of the drawer, or sometimes just completely forgotten and left behind. I'm reminded of this as I dig into my drawer or as I walk my daughter to school and see loose change in the street that got left behind. I think about value, is my time being valued or is it being spent foolishly? Am I wasting my days away chasing after things that don't matter?

In Psalm 90 Moses writes, "Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Here, he is praying to God, to teach them to number their days. Moses in a sense is saying, teach us the worth of our days and to value each day, that we may spend it well and gain a heart of wisdom. Help us to recall the former days, that are no more, that once flourished but withered away in labor and sorrow.
Moses understood the value of each day and knew that it was only the provision of God and His daily mercies that were sure to satisfy him all the days of his life. Everything else was in vain if God wasn't in it. Where do you place your value? Are your hours, and days spent well?

Our days are fleeting, and we are but a vapor in the wind, here for a short while. Many times we are our own worst enemy. Because we rely on our own strength and flesh to get us through the day instead of relying on God's truth. One of man's biggest downfalls is time, we are limited by time. If the enemy of our soul can keep us busy then we will be easily ensnared and fail to see it. I have been guilty of this so many times and this is the reason for me writing this. It is important to invest time in our families, our marriages, our relationships with others, to share the light and love of Christ with those around us. Am I investing my time and spending it well?
Really examine your life and ask yourself this.

Though we are frail human beings, limited by time, God is not. Our purpose should not lie within the boundaries of this world, yoked by the superficial things of society. But rather we should seek a heart of wisdom and saturate ourself in God's Truth and make the most of every opportunity. He has called us into a deeper relationship with Him and to have true meaningful relationships with those around us.

I say all this, because we can get complacent in our walk and lose out on meaningful time. Although, we might not be called to serve great missions in other countries, we are always called to serve and love one another. Look at the neighbor next to you, what about the poor and hungry in your neighborhood, what about the brother or sister in your church.
 James 2:27 says pure and undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. John 15:12 says His command is that we love each other as He has loved us.
Ask yourself is my time well spent or am I chasing after the wind?

Prayer for a Heart of Wisdom

"Help me Lord, to gain a true heart of wisdom, teach me to number my days, and make the most of every opportunity, just as Your Word says. Lord to be a doer of Your Word, to be filled with Your Wisdom and Love, to love others as You have loved me. To be that light in the darkness. And to spend meaningful time with those around me, redeeming the time that You have entrusted to me. Remove selfishness and anything that does not align with Your will. Remove the need to be accepted by others on social media, but rather that I would seek Your acceptance. Let my time be well spent as You lead me into a heart of wisdom. And forgive me for looking to other things that have no real value. Oh Lord, let me not forget what You have done for me, and continue doing in me. Lord, that it is only by Your undeserving Grace that I have been saved. Lord, when the flame for You, begins to die out, remind me to fan the flame, remind me to reconnect 

and remain in You, so that You would always remain in me, and that in You there is where I find the fullness of joy, not in people, not in work, not in temporary things, but only in You, in the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen."

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16