Moment in the Word

1 Chronicles 29:28 - And he died in a good old age, full of days, in wealth, and glory: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. (Brenton's 1851 Greek Septuagint)

This week's text tells us that when King David died, he was very old, blessed abundantly with wealth and glory, besides having a child to follow in his footsteps.

What more could any person want than this? But I notice the odd expression "filled with days!" Why didn't the Bible use "filled with years"... or even "filled with decades?"

Well, at best, we are only promised days rather than years, and that is the attitude we should have about life.

King David also said, "LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered..." (Psalms 39:4)

Even though the Psalmist admitted in Psalms 90:10 that we might endure for seventy or eighty years, yet he is careful to refer to that interval as "the Days of our lives" since they are filled with "labor and sorrow" and are "soon cut off, and we fly away."

If we are fortunate enough to live a hundred years, yet in retrospect, the time passes like a single day. Even for God "a thousand years are as a passing day." Consequently, people "are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening (day's end) it is dry and withered." (Psalms 90:4-6)

Thankfully, God knows all our daily needs before we even ask. Therefore, Jesus taught us to pray this way, "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done - On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this DAY our DAILY bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:8-13) Once again, the emphasis is on what we need today, not tomorrow or next year.

Why? Consider Christ's words in Matthew 6:30-34, "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which TODAY is, and TOMORROW is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the MORROW: for the MORROW shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the DAY is the evil thereof."

Briefly, think about the lyrics of the beautiful old hymn - Day by Day...

"Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,

Gives unto each day what He deems best,

Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest."

In an earlier verse, Jesus said, "Sufficient unto the DAY is the evil thereof." But, thank God, St. Paul assured in Romans 5:20, "...But where sin (evil) abounded, grace did much more abound."

Thus, for each day that God benevolently allows, we must also add, "Sufficient are the blessings that our Heavenly Father provides... until we come to the end, for our days are all in God's hands (Psalms 31:15)." For that reason, let us strive to live more abundantly today rather than tomorrow or next year which bears no guarantee.