SunJul192009
Scripture: Psalm 39:4-7 “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” 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.
INTRODUCTION
How long will I live? It is a question that lurks somewhere in the back of the minds of most of us, I suspect. As I advance on the ripe old age of 63, a milestone I’ll reach in about 6 months, the question surfaces for me.
Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is age to some extent. There is a familiar image that emphasizes the point. It is of an old woman...or...is it of a young woman? I’m curious. Whom do you see? If you see an old woman, would you raise your hand? Now, would those who see a young woman, raise your hand. Whether she is an old woman or a young woman is in the eye of the beholder.
Some of you will think that I’m just a child. Others will think I’m quite ancient. Depending on the day, I often find myself in agreement with both camps. One day recently I stopped in to see a 97-year-old member of our church. When I left, I was feeling quite youthful. One evening last week, I sat in a meeting facilitated by a 36-year-old member of Federated. He is full of energy and enthusiasm and ideas. Leaving that meeting after a long day at the office, I was feeling...well...you get the picture. In the one encounter I was young enough to be her son. In the other, I was old enough to be his father.
As I alluded earlier, I’ve celebrated 62 birthdays. Many of them were quite exciting: Turning 13, which I considered the beginning of my teenage years; turning 16, when I got my drivers license with the accompanying freedom and status that offered; turning 21 and reaching official adulthood; turning 30; turning 40 (Life begins at 40, you know.); turning 50, no problem.
I’ve never really had problems with birthdays, that is, until a couple of years ago, when I turned 60. On that fateful day 2 ½ years ago, 60 just sounded old to me. I did survive as you can see and must confess that eventful day looks less bleak the further it recedes in my rearview mirror.
1. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG WE WILL LIVE.
The New Revised Standard Version translates the first words of this morning’s text, “Lord, let me know my end and what is the measure of my days.” How long will I live? Most of us do not know the answer to that question. What we do know is that we will not live forever. The old sage, Benjamin Franklin wrote: "In this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes." It wasn’t an original thought with him, for centuries earlier the author of Ecclesiastes wrote: “None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death.”
For some of us life will be longer. As I was saying goodby to the 97-year-old Federated member a few days ago, she said, “I’m grateful for the blessings in my life.” She was able to say that to me, even though her health is failing and she knows that the end of her earth-bound journey is near.
For others their pilgrimage here is shorter. Robert Mayerovitch was one of Jodie Ricci’s professors at Baldwin-Wallace College. In a baccalaureate speech a few years ago, he tells of his son, born in the early 1980's with multiple and massive physical problems. The newborn infant struggled to survive. He lived for thirty-six hours. After his death the family felt they needed to hold a funeral service. In the aching moments of that service they all shared their grief, Mayerovitch said, and none more openly and courageously than Robert’s father, Harry Mayerovitch, in a poem he had written. Entitled “Lifetime in One Day,” the older Mayerovitch read in trembling voice:
LIFETIME IN ONE DAY
Born September 29, 1981
Died September 30, 1981
Did he die
Before he’d lived?
No—in his day
His single day
He lived a lifetime
Was cradled in a
Lifetime’s love
Swaddled in a
Lifetime’s warmth
Tossed up by a
Lifetime’s storms
Assaulted by a
Lifetime’s pain
But dreamed perhaps a
Lifetime’s dreams
And passed on
To each of us
A silent legacy
His lifetime’s wisdom
That all of us
In all our days
Might also learn
To live a lifetime
In each day
We do not know the measure of our days. For some it will be shorter, for others, longer. Devotional writer, Sandra Felton, tells about chatting after worship one Sunday morning with Walt, a man from her church. Sometimes Walt brought marbles to church to give to the children. As she and Walt talked, he reached into his pocket and handed her a marble.
“This was last week,” he said. “It was a pretty good week.”
Then he explained what he meant. Though happy and healthy, Walt had estimated, probably using insurance tables, how many more weeks he could expect to live. For each week he put a marble into a jar Then every Sunday he removed one marble and watched the number shrink. It encouraged him to realize the importance of each day, he said.
“Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are,” the Psalmist prayed in Psalm 90:12. “Help us to spend them as we should.”
2. WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT HOW WE SPEND OUR LIVES.
Though we do not know how long we will live, we do have something to say about how we live.
An executive from India was visiting his company’s manufacturing facility here in the United States. He and a company associate from this country were in a car, going to a business meeting. The American, a hard-driven man with a type-A personality was driving. As they approached a set of railroad tracks, the lights were flashing and a train was bearing down on the intersection. Instead of slowing to a stop, the driver sped up and shot across the tracks, narrowly avoiding a collision with the train. The two traveled on in silence for a few moments; then the executive from India asked quietly, “now, what are you going to do with the extra three minutes you saved?”
In the Plain Dealer this past Friday columnist Regina Brett relates a story from her friend, Sarah Maxwell. Sarah is a music therapist at Hospice of the Western Reserve. She uses music to help people make peace with their past and mend relationships before they leave this world.
One of her patients, obviously a fan of Regina Brett, told Sarah that she would like to have her last regret printed in Regina’s column. Regina refers to her as Mrs. R., because she doesn’t want the spotlight on herself. A mother of 4 and grandmother of 8, Mrs. R was married to her husband for 56 years, until he died of cancer 7 years ago.
In thinking about all of the people who have provided help and support for her, especially during recent days as she deals with terminal cancer, Mrs. R. expresses regret that she wasn’t more responsive to people in need around her when she was younger and healthier. And then these words of wisdom from a dying woman:
"I want people to know that there are so many good people doing good things. Be one of them. My hope is that when you look back on your life you will have the joy of having given freely in your heart."
We have something to say about how we spend our lives.
Psychologist Greg Lousignont would have agreed with Mrs. R. A few years ago he wrote an inspirational little piece entitled, THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE. Perhaps you’ve seen it
Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever!
There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did!
And because I did I'm going to celebrate!
Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.
I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart.
I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds.
Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.
Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile.
I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.
Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down.
I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for them and how much they mean to me.
Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me.
I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.
And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens.
I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.
As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life.
And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!
3. WE CAN BE CONFIDENT OF GOD’S PRESENCE ON THE JOURNEY.
A final thing I want to say this morning is that we can be confident of God’s presence on the journey. There are no guarantees that the journey will always be smooth and easy. In fact we can be almost certain that there will be some rough places along the way. I noted last week how many of the Psalms begin in distress: Psalm 3 – O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; Psalm 5 – Give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry.... Psalm 10 – Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble.
If you’ve ever been though the “valley of the shadow,” you know what a lonely place, what a painful place, what a trying place it can be. But as frequently as the Psalmist begins with his complaints to God, he ends with praise: “Deliverance belongs to the Lord,” he says in one place. In another, “You cover the righteous with a shield.” And again, “You...hear and strengthen the meek.”
Over and over throughout the Psalms the contrasting theme plays out. You find yourself in the valley of the shadow. A job has been lost. A child or parent (maybe both) is struggling. An illness has struck. A marriage is failing. A loved one has died.
In the midst of it all, if we listen carefully, we can hear the still small voice of God whispering to us, “ Fear no evil. I am with you.” We can be confident of God’s presence on the journey.
The following true story happened in San Antonio, Texas three years ago and was reported in the newspaper there. Greg and Joy Scrivner and their three children lived in San Antonio. In mid-August of 2006, their beloved black and white 14 year old dog, Abbey, died. The day after she died, Meredith, the Scrivner’s 4 year old middle daughter was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if they could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. Mrs. Scrivner said she thought they could so Meredith dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her, You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith.
They put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. They put their return address on it Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. After a few days, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
A few days later a package wrapped in gold paper appeared on the family’s front porch addressed, 'To Meredith , ' in unfamiliar handwriting. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter they had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me, just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love. –Love, God
CONCLUSION
What is the message to us from Psalms today: 1. Life is short and we do not know how long we have to live; 2. Regardless of how long or short our life ends up being, we have something to say about how we live; 3. No matter who we are or where we are on our journey, we can be confident of God’s presence.
“Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are. Help us to spend them as we should.” Wise words from the Psalmist. Contemporary Christian songwriters Bill and Gloria Gaither may have been thinking of the Psalmist’s counsel, when they wrote:
We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch
as it slips through our fingers like sand.
Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come,
but we have this moment today.