Numbering Our Days

I've begun using The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle to help me structure daily devotional time. It has prayers and readings for morning, noon, evening, and bedtime -- a practice reaching back to Jewish practice before and during Christ's time on earth. I've included a link to the book below if you would like more information.

I was struck by part of the mornings reading -- a passage from Psalms 90:2. "So teach us to number our days that we might apply our hearts to wisdom."

Numbering our days is not something we like to think about. We know they are limited, but we like to proceed with life as if they were un-numbered. The problem with that is that we tend to focus on what's urgent or what the moment calls us to do. Instead of focusing on what's important. On what really matters.

How different would our lives be if we lived in recognition that our days are numbered -- and let that awareness govern what we did and how we do it? We'd spend more time serving, more time in worship and meditation, and more time with those we love most.

It's insightful that the Psalmist says "Teach us to number." It's not natural to do so. A serious illness, a tragic accident, or some other unexpected event is often part of the teaching. We have to learn one way or another that we are mortal -- that our days are limited. Life's not a video game where when you get killed you can just press "start over." How are you learning to number your days?