Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Ps.90:12).

Meditations, Reflections, Insights

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Ps.90:12).

The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. (Ps.90:10)

Have you noticed that during the phase of a lifetime our experience of time starts of very slow and continues in slow mode for at least one or two decades.  Remember when you were a kid how it seemed an eternity between one Christmas to the next, from one birthday to the next, or waiting until the end of June when School got out each year?  We wanted to grow up fast, maybe like an older brother or sister.  Those were the days before we were loaded with other cares and responsibilities of life.

During those earlier years, hopefully, we were progressively prepared in many of the age appropriate ways for entering into the adult world in the future... where we would be responsible not only for ourselves, but for, and to others as well.  In fact, others would be relying on us to fulfill our part.  The parents' job is to train up their child so that they will be prepared one day to graduate into the adult life and responsibilities, and do so successfully.  Unfortunately, many parents fail in this area, although not purposely. Many parents didn't have an example to follow because their parents didn't have parents who knew how to train up their children to be prepared for the adult world and its responsibilities.  I fell into this category myself, both as a child and as a young parent. 

Beginning around the third decade time begins moving faster and each decade following seems to pick up more speed than the decade before.  Before we know it, our children have grown and they now have children.  Where did life go?  What did I achieve?  It is better to learn late, than not at all. But I can't help wondering if we had learned how to adapt to life and its many changes and unexpected circumstances in healthier ways earlier in life, how much difference would that have made?  I believe it would have made a significant difference in many ways.  We cannot teach or model what we have not learned, so we model our dysfunctional ways in front of our children without realizing how much we are harming their outlook on life as they too pick up on negative attitudes, hopelessness, and other negative behaviors.  We want them to learn better ways than we have learned, because we love them, but we don't know how to model a better way.

Somewhere along the line, hopefully, we do learn how to be better parents and grandparents. It is usually after a point of recognition of how we are not the parent we want to be, and don't know how to be, that we begin seeking how to go about making changes in our own lives.  It has to begin with us because our lives affect others, especially our children, and spouses, not to mention, everyone we meet.  As we change progressively, we will find others seem to be changing their attitudes toward us as well. 

  

I'm sure I am not the only person who has wished they could start over with the knowledge they now have.  How many things about our past self we would change if we could.  Our lives would be so different, and maybe our children's lives would have been different too.  We know we cannot go back, only forward.  As long as we are still breathing we can grow and change, and model  healthier, life inspiring attitudes that build up, not tear down, that encourage, not discourage, that focus on love for Christ, and others, rather than only on ourselves. We can change our future by changing our attitudes toward life's circumstances, and toward others.  I thank God that He left us His Word, the Bible, for us to learn of Him, and through His Holy Spirit be able to have our attitudes transformed to become more like His.  We will not get it perfect in our lifetime, but we know we are His children who are ever learning, and are to practice modeling our new attitudes, love, and behavior so the world will recognize us as belonging to Christ.  It is only because of Christ Jesus' personal deep love and concern for us, that He shed His blood to give us a new life, in Him. It cost Him everything; it only costs us heart submission to Him, which will enable Him to change us through His Spirit and His Word.

 A scripture God laid on my heart many years ago was this:  Romans 12:1-2

1)Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy (Christ dying for our sins so we could have a new spirit-empowered life through Him), offer your bodies as "living" sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

2)Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.

What are your thoughts on this?

Maybe you had parents who knew how to train up their children to become responsible caring adults who love God and others, and have Christ like attitudes.  Maybe you didn't.  Either way, I would love to hear your responses or maybe how you came to recognize a need to change.

~Annie~

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