“TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS”
W. Dickson
It is a matter to be observed and considered that men of God should have such thoughts in regard to the greatness and majesty of God, speaking of Him as “the Same”, the self-existent One (see note to Deuteronomy 32: 39), and as Moses himself speaks here “from eternity to eternity thou art God” (verse 2). Linked with such thoughts there is a sense of the brevity of human life. You see it with Moses here and with Hezekiah in Isaiah 37, which we considered in the earlier meeting. It would appear that the Spirit would stress the importance of applying our brief sojourn here to a deeper understanding of the greatness of God. Jacob said, “Few and evil have been the
days of the years of my life”, Genesis 4: 7: 9. Perhaps he was thinking of the years in Padan-Aram, the death of Rachel, the disgrace of Judah, and the loss of Joseph, but later he could speak of “The God that shepherded me all my life long to this day”, Genesis 48: 15. So the Spirit would impress on us the need to devote our days to acquiring a knowledge of God.
There are certain daily matters spoken of in Scripture. The manna was gathered daily (Exodus 16: 4), with the instruction for the double supply on the sixth day (v.5). How important it is to gather the manna daily as imparting to us the grace of Christ. The Bereans searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17: 11). They not only read the Scriptures—they searched them. How good to search the Scriptures and find some of the treasures of the greatness of God as revealed in Christ.
Then Paul separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19: 9). It emphasizes the importance of daily coming under Paul’s teaching as to the greatness of the mystery as unfolded in the Ephesian epistle. An exercised believer would thus regulate his days rightly, balancing legitimate things like work and leisure so that he increases in his knowledge of the greatness of God.
The deep feelings of our Lord expressed in Psalm 102: 23–28 affect our spirits—“My God, take me not away in the midst of my days!” (verse 24). One has been impressed that in John’s gospel the conclusion of the Lord’s pathway is marked in days. The resurrection of Lazarus came at the end of the Lord’s pathway. It would appear that the cry of verse 24 of Psalm 102
would imply all that lay upon Him as having to go into death to break its power. How beautifully that psalm concludes in extolling
the greatness of God—“the Same”.
In Psalm 90 Moses is the minister concerned as to the needs of the testimony. He was given the pattern of the tabernacle; the responsibility was laid upon him to see that it was adhered to (Exodus 25: 9, etc.). Each day would be numbered as he exercised oversight as to the building of God’s dwelling. Then what burden he carried, what discipline he experienced.
The care of divine interests brings its own peculiar discipline. He knew, however, the God who was “from eternity to eternity” and asks Him to “establish ... the work of our hands”
(Psalm 90: 17). Paul spoke of the burden of all the assemblies pressing upon him daily, but could speak of the greatness of God as One able to do “far exceedingly above all which we ask or think”, Ephesians 3: 20.
We should, therefore, number our days. Life is brief (v.10). The poet said, When as a child I laughed and wept,
Time crept;
When as a youth I dreamed and talked,
Time walked;
When I became a full-grown man,
Time ran;
When older still I daily grew,
Time flew;
Soon I shall find as travelling on,
Time gone, eternity begun.
May we make the best use of our days!
Substance of address at Gillingham
24 March 1979