Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. (Psalm 39:4-5)
All of us have been created by God for a specific purpose; fulfilling that purpose should be the goal for us all so that we might hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This was obviously weighing on David’s mind and it is why he asked that the Lord would allow him to see “the measure” of his days. Notice that he did not ask to know the number of his days but the measure. This terminology is understood to mean that he was interested in knowing how he was measuring up to the Lord’s expectations for him as he neared the completion of his life.
Notice also that he asked for this as measured in days and not years. It occurs to me that most people would ask about years because that is a sizable amount of time compared to a day which is seemingly small and insignificant. But if we strive to fulfill God’s purpose in our life, each and every day is to be viewed as an opportunity to do His will. Consequently, we should cherish each day for what it provides in regards to doing what is pleasing to the Lord. Do we live in such a way that each day allotted to us measures up to what the Life Giver expects of us — or do we consistently fall short? This question will become increasingly relevant as we approach the time when we have more days behind us than what is in front of us.
For those who pursue righteousness, we are keenly aware of the brevity of life in comparison with eternity — we are but a vapor when measured against the Eternal One. Knowing this, perhaps we should be provoked to take stock of our life and purpose within our heart to do our Master’w Will to the best of our ability. Even if we perform at our best, in the final analysis, anything we might accomplish for the Kingdom is not our doing — it because of the grace He has bestowed upon us and that He determined to work in us and through us. Therefore in the coming days — and for the remaining days I have been allotted in this life — my prayer is that I shall no longer live my life, but that Messiah will live in me and through me; and that the life I live will be in the fulness of what He has purposed for me.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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