A Norvell Note for September 6, 2021
Vol. 24 No. 35
The Brevity of Life
I’m praying for wisdom.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12, NIV)
Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalm 90:12, NLT)
In previous days when I’ve read these words, I usually have paused to reflect on my life, how I have lived, how I am living, and how I need and want to live.
As I read them now, I go through a similar reflective process, but I also ask: when will we get it?
If going through a pandemic, and now a second phase of what may be even worse than the first, does not make us number our days and gain wisdom, what will?
If seeing the suffering people are experiencing due to hurricanes and floods does not cause us to realize how brief life is and gain wisdom, what will?
If seeing the stories of families struggling to escape the dangers from terrorist attacks on their homeland does not cause us to seek wisdom by number our days, what will?
If seeing out-of-control forest fires consume thousands of acres of forest, homes, towns, and everything in their path does not cause us to number our days and gain wisdom, what will?
If living through the horror of watching a loved one’s body ravaged by an incurable disease does not cause us to wake up to the brevity of life and gain a heart of wisdom, what will?
What is it going to take?
When will we understand how important it is to number our days, consider how we live so that we can gain the wisdom to live?
Lord, I long for a heart of wisdom to live with gentleness and courage during these short days on this earth and help others live with wisdom during these troubling times.
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