Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Psalm 90:11-17 (ESV)

One of the foundational truths Jesus wants us to always keep in the forefront of our minds is the coming judgment of the living and the dead. God allots each person a set time here on earth. How long we live is in God’s hands, but how we use our time is our responsibility. The fear of the Lord teaches us to live in such a way that we will be found faithful when we stand before Jesus in judgment. The unbeliever will face God’s wrath at the last judgment for not believing and accepting God’s provision for life and forgiveness offered through Christ. Believers will account to God for how faithful we have been with what we have been given. One of the greatest gifts God distributes to us is the gift of time here on earth to be alive.

Moses asked God for several things in the passage quoted above.

• Help us to realize how brief our days are so that we can live with a sense of urgency and rightly prioritize what is truly important. We do not want to waste the time that God has given us pursuing what has no eternal value.
  
• Show us mercy and love. None of us can possibly measure up to God’s righteousness.We can only be faithful to the degree we learn to receive and depend upon God’s grace. As we learn to believe in and receive God’s love and mercy, we will be inspired to praise him continually.
• Thirdly, Moses understood the important truth that God works all things together for our good. (Romans 8:28) When we comprehend that our Lord turns even our pain and suffering into something beautiful, it will keep us from sinking into the mire of bitterness or self-pity.
• Fourthly, Moses asks God to reveal to him what he is doing. Jesus said that he only did what he saw the Father doing. (John 5:19) If we are going to agree with and participate in what the Spirit is doing all around us, the Lord must open our eyes to see and help us to believe that he has the power to fulfill his promises.
• Lastly Moses asks God to show him favor and establish the work of his hands. God’s favor is like his smile. Faith believes that God is favorably disposed to help us and make us successful as we pursue his kingdom and righteousness.

Prayer

Lord, help us to understand how brief our time is here on earth. Help us to live each day as if it were our last, putting your priorities at the top of our to do list. Help us to love people and be about the business of your kingdom. Be merciful to us, O Lord, because we are unable to serve you properly without constantly drawing upon your mercy and grace. Thank you, for providing an unending supply through Jesus. Let us be satisfied every day with knowing how much you love us, and help us to pass that love on to other people through loving acts and sharing the gospel. Help us to always be praising you because we are confident that you are always working things out for our good and your glory. Turn our pain and suffering and disappointments into showcases for your grace. Let us find joy in turning the table on the devil by using what has been difficult as a spring board into ministry to others who are suffering. Open our eyes to see what you are doing around us so we can join you. Help us believe in your unlimited power to help us and those around us who need your grace. Help us to be bold to pray for others so they will also encounter your love and power. Show us your everlasting favor in ways we can see and understand so we will not lose heart. Establish the work of our hands, because without you, we can do nothing. But with you we can do all things. Amen.