Teach Us To Number Our Days
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
Early this past week, I received very sad news. A friend of mine was killed in a car accident late last week just days after I talked to him for almost an hour. We hadn’t spoken to each other for over a year, yet he reached out to me. The phone call was so encouraging. Little did either of us know it would be the final time we would speak to each other this side of heaven.
Besides being shocked and saddened by the news, this verse (above) immediately came to mind.
Make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15-17). This has often been a motto I have tried to follow. We don’t know when we will get a chance for our lives to intersect again with those who come across our paths. This is why making the most of every opportunity is essential. Whether it is taking the opportunity to enjoy creation around is, taking the opportunity to share good news with those who need it the most, or taking the opportunity to simply be together with those we call family or friends, we should make the most of it. Don’t let life be a waste!
Always say “I love you” for you don’t know if/when you will see each other again. I recall as a young first or second grader, I had a fear of never being able to see my Grandpa Miller again. He had just dropped me off at school, and he and Grandma were getting ready to travel from Wheaton, IL back to Minneapolis, MN. I remember the school called my home after the school day started to give me a chance to talk with my Grandpa. He ended up walking or driving back to the school before his trip back to Minneapolis just so I could say “I love you.” Now, Grandpa is 93 years old, and the last few years haven’t been kind to him. I don’t talk to him nearly as frequently as I should, but every conversation ends with “I love you.” This is how it should be with everyone we love. We don’t want to live in regret thinking we left things on a bad note.
Don’t be afraid to take risks. Life is short. The young man mentioned above was seven or eight years younger than I am. I still consider myself to me reasonably young at 48 years old. Nevertheless, life is meant to be lived in bubble-wrap, backed away removed from any chance for scratches, dents, or scars. We were meant to live our life to the fullest, and that means taking risks.
And by all means, pick up the phone and call a friend – even if you haven’t talked for a long, long time. Don’t wait for the other person to reach out to you. Be proactive. Be assertive. Be the initiator. I was talking to a friend earlier this week who mentioned she had decided to begin a 100 day streak of connection – reaching out to others. Why not join her in this streak. Pick up the phone and call someone who hasn’t heard your voice for a while. Write an actual handwritten letter to someone who could use a word of encouragement. Schedule a time for coffee or lunch with a friend.
Teach us to number our days…remind us to live life to the fullest.
Please pray for this man’s family. Thanks.