“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:4-7
Gracious heavenly Father, early last evening you answered this prayer even before I wrote it. For the second time in a month, my wife was in a car wreck—both times returning from a funeral… neither time, her fault… this time, her car was totaled.
I praise you her x-rays and cat scan were clear. I praise you the other driver is okay, embarrassed, but okay. I praise you seat belts and air bags worked. And I praise you for being sovereign over centuries and nano-seconds.
Last evening, that was the difference between being hit in the front quarter panel of her car and being t-boned, flush in the driver’s side door. I don’t like imagining what that outcome could have produced. Having lost my mom through a car wreck years ago and having buried my father a month ago, it’s easy to go there.
Life is fleeting and fragile, indeed, but not because we live in a world of random accidents, rather, because we live in a world of divine providence. You are the one who’s made this life a fleeting existence—a mere handbreadth… short spanned and but a breath. If you don’t show us life’s sure and certain ending, we won’t humbly number our days. We’ll arrogantly presume on decades, and give ourselves to a life of vain bustling and wealth heaping. Gazing at Darlene’s crumpled car last evening and sitting in the ER made that real again.
Father, this year is about over and a new year is just about here. More than ever, I want the rest of my life to be lived in line with the truth of the gospel. Because of your gift of Jesus—only because of who Jesus is and what he’s accomplished, I can honestly say with King David, “You are my hope.” I don’t want to live like a mere phantom, but like your beloved Son.
Show me what that means. Show me what changes that will require. Show me what priorities that presupposes. Show me what you want me to give more of my heart to…and less of my heart to. What must I let go of… and what must I embrace more tightly? Who do I spend more time with… and less time with? What will living by gospel sanity rather than bustling vanity look like, loving Father? The only thing I resolve is more of Jesus and less of me.
Darlene will wake up very sore today, but she will wake up. Thank you. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ trustworthy and loving name.