November 12th - Reflection

Psalm 90:1-8 [9-11] 12 (NRSV)
Number your days
Lord, you have been our dwelling place

in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust,
and say, "Turn back, you mortals."
For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; 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.

For we are consumed by your anger;
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

( For all our days pass away under your wrath;
our years come to an end like a sigh.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. _

So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.

Reflection
My days are numbered and so are yours. Just look at it, we live a few years and return to dust. We live and we love and we make our attempt at life and die. Only God lasts forever. God seems to go on and on and on. Yet this is the very gift Jesus gave to us through his gracious and loving act on the cross and his resurrection. Jesus gave us some sort of eternal life. We don't fully understand it yet, so we have to accept this gift in faith and hope that God's love overcomes all evil and pain and death. Maybe our days are numbered, but God gets to number them however God chooses. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, as I count my days, I give every one to you. Count as you please and use my days as you see fit. May I be faithful and obedient to your call.... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen