6th. August. 2021. Daily Devotion.
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling-place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, ‘Return to dust, you mortals.’
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death –
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:1-12
Moses was advanced in years by the time he offered this prayer and was painfully aware of the true brevity of life. The psalm begins with a meditation on the eternality of God even “from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God;” and sharply contrasts this with four images of the transitory nature of man. A thousand of our years in God’s sight is like 24 hours, or even like “a watch in the night” (3 hours). Our time on this planet is like a sand castle that is suddenly swept away by a wave of water. It is like a delicate flower which opens in the morning and withers in the evening.
If, like Moses, we want the work of our hands to have permanency, we should daily remind ourselves that we are “aliens and strangers” (1 Pet. 2:11) on this earth and that our true citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Our own works quickly evaporate and are lost forever. But God is eternal, and His work abides. Therefore we must invest in that eternal work; His works done through us last forever. K Boa.
Lord, teach me to number my days, that I may always remember that this life is transitory, but your life is eternal. Amen.
Prayer to Use Our Gifts Wisely
Lord, give me each day the wisdom to see which things are important, and which things are not. Show me how best to use the time and talents you have given me. Help me to use all my opportunities wisely, that I may share, through service to others, the good gifts I have received from you. Amen.
To Love Our Enemies
Lord Christ, you commanded us not to resist an evil person; you have ordered us instead to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. I’m having problems with this one, Lord! Every fibre in my body wants to hate my enemies. When somebody is ugly to me, I am frantic to punish them for it. And not just terrible crimes: I react with hostility to the smallest insult. A disagreement over politics will leave me turning over arguments as I lie awake in bed. A theological quibble can leave me red in the face.
You have promised us that you will send us a Spirit strong enough to overcome any temptation if we pray for it. Please, holy God, send me your Holy Spirit in power to help me follow this difficult teaching. No matter whether it is a terrible evil or simply a bit of hurt pride, let me accept, sincerely and completely, your commandment to love and pray for those who persecute me. In the name of Christ, I pray, Amen.
For us all
Breath of life and love, disturb the dark clouds of fear and anxiety that trouble our lives, and in this gentle breeze, as clouds disperse, may we sense hope and healing, as your light breaks in and through our hearts and minds, and shines out in the world. Amen.
