Who’s Keeping Score?

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

In his book, Everyday Is Friday, pastor and author Joel Osteen wrote about how important it is to recognize each day’s uniqueness. Everyday is a gift of God; never are two exactly the same. We believe there’s always a tomorrow, but that’s a mistake. We fritter away our todays, because there’s another one right around the corner; or are there? No one has an ironclad guarantee tomorrow will come.

The bible describes our life as a vapor. In the context of eternity, our stint on earth is short. We haven’t time to waste. Live each day to the fullest; take advantage of the time we have now.

TGIF is a popular buzzword. It signals the impending start of our free time. Stressful jobs and difficult people give reason to look longingly ahead to a break. Unfortunately, if we concentrate too much on the future, we miss God given opportunities in the present. What if everyday were used to gain a heart of wisdom? That’s what the psalmist did.

If you knew that today was your last day alive, would you change your schedule? Probably. What would move to the top of your To Do List? Would you spend extra time with family and friends and less on the pursuit of wealth and success? Would quality time with God take on greater importance? We don’t know what day is our last, but we can re-arrange our lives and priorities as if it were. Despite the curve balls life throws us, we can recognize and appreciate each day and enjoy the possibilities it affords us.

Why wait for Thanksgiving to gather with friends and family to eat, give thanks and eat some more (just kidding about the food)? Why give gifts only at Christmas, birthdays or special occasions? Why limit displays of affection to Valentines Day and not everyday? Who said any day was ordinary? Everyday is a one-of-a-kind event, never to be duplicated.

The development of a heart of wisdom doesn’t come just through the study of God’s word and prayer; we need to apply the lessons learned in the trenches of day to day life. In order to accomplish this we must live in the present and not excessively dream of the future or ruminate about the past. When given carte blanche by God for anything, King Solomon asked for wisdom. God honored that request and Solomon is recognized even today for his extraordinary ability to solve complex problems.

God’s no respecter of persons. What He did for Solomon, he’ll do for us also. So, let’s approach today and everyday with wonder and expectation. They will provide once-in-a-lifetime events with rich, beneficial experiences. We can count on that!

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shawdog/5150131697/">RobHelfman</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>