Teach Us To Number Our Days
On Sunday, I said that one of the greatest assurances that I have personally that I belong to God is that I see His providence constantly in my life. As those words left my mouth, I had no idea how the providence God was working already. Now, I already had stories that demonstrated His providence since Sunday morning that I could have shared, but this morning I received news that is currently overwhelming me, and overwhelming me with the providence of God.
The story is a fairly long one, and the providence of God is much more than I could share, or probably people would be willing to read about. So, let’s begin with moving to Ohio. There were many circumstances surrounding our move out of Wisconsin, and many of those circumstances were some of the hardest our family has ever had to deal with. During that time, most of my friendships were severed, but there were a few men who maintained friendship through all of that and were there for me, and one in particular had become very close to me before we moved, and perhaps more so, since we have moved.
Now, confession, I can have a long-distance friendship with someone, not talk much at all for years, and then get back together and pick up right where we left off. I admit, though, that there is something much more special about keeping in touch along the way, and this particular friend did so after we moved. If we did not talk for a couple of months, he would text and ask if he could call, and then apologize for it being so long. Most of the time he had nothing specific to bring up, but just wanted to keep the connection with me. I bet I could find 25 texts in the past 3-1/2 years where he simply texted that he wanted to catch up.
A few months ago, we talked and this time he had something specific he wanted to say. He wanted to apologize because he felt like he had not been there for me enough during that difficult time in my life. He was seeing more clearly how hard that was on me and felt like he could have been there more for me. From my vantage point, he was there for me any time I needed him, and I made clear to him that he had nothing to apologize for, but he insisted he felt like he could have been a better friend. In that conversation, I began to realize just how much this man truly cared for me, and it blessed me immensely.
In that conversation, I began to realize just how much this man truly cared for me, and it blessed me immensely.
A few weeks ago, he and his family took a vacation, and part of their vacation included spending a weekend with us. They went to church with us, we ate together, and caught up on a lot of things. We just had a tremendous weekend together, and I was so thankful they made the visit. We had seen them a few times in our visits back to Wisconsin, but it is always special for people to come to your place and visit you. I thought about the fact that they came to visit just a few weeks prior to us headed to Wisconsin for a wedding and it would have been nice to have those spaced out more, but I also figured it would be a blessing to have a shorter window between seeing one another.
Last night he texted me asking me if we could make plans together for our visit next weekend, and we planned on Sunday lunch together. He wanted to make sure I knew that not only were my wife and daughters invited, but also my son and mom. His care for me was greater than just me, but for my family as well. He also wanted to make sure we were okay with the menu, so the last text he sent me before heading to bed was, “Ham and baked potatoes, just a heads up.”
This past Sunday, God had us in Psalm 90 for the sermon, so I had been studying that all the week prior and meditating on the eternality of God and the mortality of man. Moses experienced a lot of death in the wilderness, and we talked extensively about that on Sunday. The key verse Moses drives to in the passage says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, Legacy Standard Bible). Our application was to cry out to God from verses 13-17. We should ask God to show us His presence (13), ask God to satisfy us in His mercy (14), ask God to make us glad (15), ask God to show us His work and glory (16), and ask God to establish the work of our hands, to give us meaning to life (17).
He also wanted to make sure we were okay with the menu, so the last text he sent me before headed to bed was, “Ham and baked potatoes, just a heads up.”
This morning, I found out that some time after my friend went to bed last night, the Lord called him home to be with Him for eternity. Needless to say, the news was and still is shocking to me, and I have been crying off and on all morning long. One might think I am overwhelmed with the news of his passing, but that is actually what is not overwhelming the most. I am shocked, sure, but I just preached Sunday that death comes like a flood and sweeps people away, the analogy being a flash flood that takes out everything in its path. Death sometimes comes suddenly. I preached Sunday that this type of thing happens, so while it is surprising, I also was reminded Sunday that it happens often.
No, here is what I am overwhelmed by, and I could share a whole lot more, but this would get too long. I am overwhelmed that God gave me a friend who would stand with me in my greatest hour of difficulty and not waver in being my friend. He could have had enough of my complaining, my troubles were not his troubles, but God ordained that this friend would be there through thick and thin. God also gave me a friend who would stay in contact with me for the past 3-1/2 years as I began my pastoral ministry. A friend that would continue to be an encouragement to me. I am overwhelmed that God gave me a friend who would care so much that he would desire to wish he had been more of a friend, and was kind and humble enough to come to me to confess that, even though I do not think personally he fell short at all. I am overwhelmed that God ordained that we should have this visit just a few weeks ago, despite the fact we were planning to see him just a few weeks later. God did not allow me to miss seeing him this last time. I am thankful that we had one last text conversation last night, something that was not done often enough to be a coincidence on the very night God brought him out of this life. My friend showed me he was truly my friend right up until the last hours he had on this earth. I am also eternally grateful that we know that since he is absent from his body, he is present with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, there is so much more. Now, I could be sitting here upset that God took my friend, that I did not have enough time. I could be confused, upset, angry. But God also ordained that I would be reminded from the sermon on Sunday that God is always showing His presence to me. He is with me, and for me. I am reminded that He has been merciful to me, and that I have much more than I deserve. I am reminded that He has made me glad, and will make me glad again, in far more abundance than my sorrow at present. I am reminded that He has shown me His providence in all of this. I am further reminded that my friend’s work was established by God as it has a continual impact on me and my church as I shepherd them. God has confirmed the work of my friend's hands, and none of the labor we do here for Christ will ever be in vain.
Dear one, I don’t know who is reading this for sure, but let me say this to you. Learn these truths now, today, before trial and trouble come your way. Learn them so that they sink into your soul, so that these truths of who God is and how God works begin to become second nature to you. Renew your mind to them, so when life hits you in the face, when heartache comes, you are able to remind yourself of what is really true in this life. That may not take away the pain, in fact, it will not take away the pain, but it will help you immensely to endure the pain, to know you are loved in the pain, and to even laugh and rejoice in the pain. We have a good, gracious, merciful God. Today would be a great day for you to learn that once again.
Furthermore, learn to number your days. My friend is with the Lord, not becuase of his good deeds, but becuase of Jesus Christ's good work on the cross on his behalf. My friend was a faithful friend becuase he was imitating the faithfulness of God to be faithful to him through Jesus Christ. If you have not come to Christ, do so today, and learn to live a life that has greater impact than just for today. My friend's impact is continuing through me, and to my church, because of God's work in my friend. If I can help you in any way to know God through Jesus Christ, to help you to number your days, please reach out to me. I would consider it my greatest privilege to help you.
Pastor Sean
