The Art of Numbering Your Days
(This post was written by Matt Grimes, Middle School Ministry Pastor)
One of the things that I love about my wife is that she constantly wants to grow in her faith in Christ. One way in which she does this is by finding online resources, such as podcast, or messages, from sound biblical teachers that will help her grow in her faith. The other day she turned me on to a message she was listening to from Andy Stanley on time and the family. In this message he used the following passage:
Psalm 90:11 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
In the verse the author is asking God to help us realize that our days have been numbered – that there is a beginning and an end to our lives. Our lives here on earth will have an end. When we realize this truth, we will gain a new perspective on what is important to us and what is worthy of our time.
When it comes to parenting, this verse is very important. Our days with our kids are numbered. We only have so many. I see this every year in ministry. Students that “just yesterday” were 6th graders in MSM are now 10th graders and growing facial hair. I can’t believe how the time flies by, and I am reminded just how short my time with them really is. The same is true for you as a parent. Your days with your kid are numbered. That means we can’t waste any time. The world will throw tons of things that are in and of themselves good, but in the end may not be what is most important. We as parents have to learn to make each day count to the max. We have to become wise like the passage says in how we spend the time God gives us with our kids. I want to challenge you to do a couple of things:
- Ask yourself: “If I knew that my time was short, what would I choose to do with my kids?”
- Evaluate: Look over the things that you are involved in as a family. Ask yourself if those really things really matter in the long run. Make a list of things that are important and should be a part of your family’s life.
- Re-prioritize your life around what is most important. This may mean that some much-liked activities need to be cut in order to make room for what is most important. Remember, we don’t have an unlimited supply of time. Let’s make each day count to the max and be wise with how we handle the days God has blesses us with.
