“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is… We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” Ps. 39:4–7
Heavenly Father, though I have zero desire to know the exact day or means by which you’ll take me Home, more than ever I desire to live with that day shaping all other days. Because the Gospel is true, the fear of death has been sabotaged. I can honestly say with Paul, “it is better by far to depart and be with the Lord” (Phil. 1:23).
Accumulating, planning, “muchness and many-ness”, worrying—I’ve done enough of all of that. If you give me 1, 10, 15 more years, how can the Gospel of your kingdom and the riches of your grace claim and fill them? What do I need to make a bigger deal about, and a lesser deal of? What should I let go of, and what should I release? With whom should I be spending more time, heart, and joy? What people and relationships have I given too much power over my heart?
Father I know that only two things define history until Jesus returns—your commitment to redeem your every-nation people, and your commitment to finish making all things new through Jesus. Help me and my friends know we can engage more intentionally with both. Free us from our vain regrets about the past, and fill our gaze with the beauty of Jesus. Abba may your lavish love (for which we are SO grateful)… may it fill the rest of our days, and be our rest in each of those days. So Very Amen.