When I was a kid, my dad and I built a tree house in the backyard. I say “we” built it but really I just stood around and watched and listened every now and then when he wanted me to learn something. At the time, it seemed like that tree house took at least 7 years to build! Honestly, it still feels like it took forever, but I know that in reality it only took about a year. I realize that still seems like a long time, but my dad always said, “If something is worth doing, then it’s worth doing right.” Then he’d get it as close to perfect as humanly possible. He’d accomplish this with laser focus and absolute silence. So a tree house was a big project. But the deal was that I had to be there to watch so that I could have a part in it and learn something. Did I mention he worked in complete silence? As a kid, that was torture and completely exhausting. I would whine and complain and beg to do more than watch, but that wasn’t the plan. I’m really not sure how he had the stamina not to give in to my pleading. Despite all the whining, it turned out to be the best tree house I’d ever seen and became the headquarters for all of my adventure planning!
We’ve all experienced parts of life that seem to drag on (usually when we are struggling or in the midst of difficulty) and other times that seem to fly by unreasonably fast. The psalmist points out that our time on this earth is fleeting. He is praying for God to give us wisdom and guide our priorities. I love verse 12 as it says, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” The idea of numbering our days brings to the forefront the need for intentionality in the way we spend our time. What are willing to approach with laser focus? What are we willing to invest our time in? My dad was willing to invest countless hours into trying to teach me how to strive for quality in my work, even as it disrupted his silent system. Are we willing to take inventory of our hours, and even when it disrupts our comfort, invest in the lives of those around us? Let’s seek His wisdom and be intentional with our time, striving to glorify Him with what little time we have!
VC Devotionals 