Numbering My Days

Life is fragile. I was reminded of this stark reality when I received the message. One of my husband's co-workers had been given two weeks to live. The cancer that had been in remission, had returned with a vengeance. My thoughts and prayers turned to the man and his family.

Death isn't a pleasant topic. But as a result of Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden, it's an age-old reality (Genesis 3). The Apostle Paul spoke about it plainly, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12; KJV).

With my birthday looming only a handful of days away, I can attest to the fact that life passes by quickly. Moses was wise in his advice, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalms 90:12). But how can I apply my heart to wisdom in the days I have left on this earth? Thankfully the Lord spells it out clearly for me, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psalm 111:10). It's all about reverencing Him. Giving Him his rightful place - first place. Worshipping and obeying Him. And giving Him the praise He is due.

It begins with a relationship. Or should I say, a broken relationship. Years ago I realized that I couldn't bridge the gap between me and God. I couldn't do enough good things to bring myself into fellowship with a holy God. I realized the truth of His Word, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23). I thought about all the times I had disobeyed and chosen to do the wrong things. I had to admit I was a sinner.

Sin demanded a payment. Debt isn't a good thing. Especially if I'm the one who owes the payment. But the only payment that would completely satisfy my sin debt was the one made by Christ on the cross. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," (Romans 6:23).

In His love and mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay my sin debt. Christ completed the work necessary to secure my salvation, "But God commendeth (showed) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8; parentheses mine).

Christ had done the work, I had a decision to make. Did I believe His death on the cross paid for my sins? Or not? I believed. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved," (Romans 10:9). It's a matter of faith, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast, " (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Having a restored relationship with my Creator made all the difference. Now it's possible to live out the rest of my days on earth applying my heart to wisdom - making much of the Lord and pointing others to the One who makes life worth living!

Have you placed your faith in the One who is able to erase your sin debt? If so, are you applying your heart to wisdom each day?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of life. Thank You most of all, for the gift of eternal life available through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to live wisely, realizing that life is short. In Jesus' name, Amen.

I Found It!

The perfect outfit. Hard to come by. I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for, and the amount of money I wanted to spend. The search began. My husband's patience amazed me, as he encouraged me to try on one thing after another. From one store to the next, I searched through rack after rack, looking for something that would flatter, provide some fun color, and all at a good price. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No.

With the clock inching toward closing time, I took a few selections into the dressing room. As I slipped into the first suit, I knew I had found the one! It fit, was my favorite color, and wonder of wonders, it was actually on sale! From start to finish, the intense hunt took an hour and a half, but success had been achieved.

There's a valuable lesson here. I was intent on finding something, and willing to spend time and effort to accomplish my goal. I knew it wouldn't be easy, and yet I was determined to search diligently for what I needed. With some effort, I was rewarded with success - I found exactly what I was looking for. The same lesson applies to my time spent with the Lord.

On a daily basis, I need wisdom. Wisdom to use my time wisely. Wisdom to be tuned in to the opportunities God gives me to share Him with others. Wisdom to be the right kind of wife for my husband. Wisdom to encourage my daughter when life gets complicated. But how do I get the wisdom I need to handle each of these situations appropriately? Diligently seeking for it in the pages of God's Word.

King Solomon, the wisest man of all time, was greatly used of God to pen the following words, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding," (Proverbs 2:1-6; KJV).

When I'm faced with life's challenges and I need wisdom, I must be willing to seek and search for what I need, knowing that it will require effort on my part. The last time I checked, 'treasure' is not something laid out in plain sight. Or easy to find without the help of a map. The same is true of wisdom for many situations in life. It must be gleaned from the pages of the 'treasure map' of God's Word. When I seek after God's wisdom, I'll always find what I'm looking for, with the added benefit of growing closer to my Savior.

No matter what situation requires wisdom, the book of Proverbs shares the results of finding this precious commodity, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her, " (Proverbs 3:13-18).

What situation requires wisdom in your life? Arm yourself with prayer and the Word of God, and be prepared to spend some time mining for real treasure. The precious truths you find will be worth the effort!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the wisdom that can be found in the pages of Your Word. Give me a willing heart to spend time digging into Your truth for the wisdom I need today. Thank You for the promise that Your Word contains the answers I need. Help me seek Your wisdom daily. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living a Disciplined Life

I love to go out to eat. One of the highlights of any vacation for me, is the opportunity to check out restaurants that are local favorites. Dinners include an entree, and more often than not, a dessert. I'm on vacation after all, right?! It's only after I get home and approach the bathroom scale that I break out in a sweat. Maybe I shouldn't have sampled that last dish of creamy gelato...

The motivation to work out kicks in, as I'm forced to slide the counterweights on my scale farther to the right. I'm willing to become more selective in my food choices. I wave goodbye to the sugary confections I've become fast friends with, and say hello to sugar-free replacements. I step up to the plate of discipline.

The dictionary defines 'discipline' as, "controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; a systematic method to obtain obedience." The key is controlled behavior. There's nothing wrong with an occasional dessert. When I have to have a sweet something with every meal though, I've shifted from being in control, to being out of control.

Just like discipline is necessary in order for me to maintain the proper weight, it's vitally important in other areas of my life as well. I am able to make wise decisions when I'm disciplined with my finances. My time is best utilized when I practice discipline. My speech can be controlled and edifying when discipline is in place. Get the picture? This little ten-letter word can have an immense impact on my life if I apply it!

Being disciplined in any area is a choice. It's willfully submitting to whatever it takes to get that area under control. Seeking God's wisdom about the particular area is essential. He welcomes our request for His wisdom, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5; KJV; emphasis mine).

Wisdom and disciple don't come overnight. When we understand what our Heavenly Father has to say about discipline for a certain area, we have the opportunity to put it into practice - one day at a time. This life-long process compels us to spend time at the Master's feet, daily. Speaking of wisdom, the writer of Proverbs encourages, "Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord" (Proverbs 8:34-35; emphasis mine).

As the dictionary definition implies, discipline doesn't come without a price. Denying myself can be downright frustrating. Society's focus on instant gratification has gone a long way in convincing us that we have the right to what we want, immediately. Why wait and save up the money to buy that item, when we can have it now and charge it to our credit card. Never mind that our impatience will end up costing us more in the long run. When we submit ourselves to be exercised by discipline, controlled behavior is the outcome. We see the wisdom in only purchasing the things we can afford.

As you pursue wisdom to become more disciplined in any area of life, remember the words of James, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be enreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17).

Life is full of opportunities for discipline. Are you willing to do what it takes to become disciplined in your living? Although the initial cost may seem high, and the road may seem long, the rewards make it all worthwhile!

Thank You, Lord, that Your Word gives me the tools necessary to live a disciplined life. Help me to glean wisdom from You, daily. Your Word is clear that those who handle matters wisely shall find good, and those who trust in You are happy (Pro. 16:20). I praise You today, Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen.