Your Days Are Numbered

Well, here we are at the start of another year.

2022 is here.

2021 is over.

And as we begin this new year, I want to encourage you

and share with you a little practical wisdom from God's Word.

So my message this morning is going to draw mainly from various Proverbs in the Bible,

and it will be a very practical word.

Let me begin by asking you a question.

Have you taken some time to reflect on 2021?

Some of you might be thinking,

I don't have time to sit down and reflect on last year.

And besides, I'm not sure I want to remember a lot of what happened in the past year.

But I want to encourage you this morning,

taking time to reflect on the past year is wise.

Proverbs 14, verse 8.

Proverbs 14:8

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways.

Proverbs 14, verse 15.

Proverbs 14:15

The prudent give thought to their steps.

Proverbs 21, verse 29.

Proverbs 21:29

The upright give thought to their ways.

Proverbs 4, verse 26.

Proverbs 4:26

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet,

and be steadfast in all your ways.

At least these four times,

God speaks through Solomon to tell us

that it is wise,

it is prudent,

to give thought to our ways.

That is, to take time to think about the paths that we have walked,

the decisions that we have made,

the things we have done,

and where those decisions have brought us.

What has been the result of them?

So taking time to reflect on this past year

is not just a helpful idea,

it's much more.

We might even call it a spiritual discipline,

a good habit of grace.

But let's think about why for a moment.

There are some people who go through life

and make the same mistakes

over and over and over again.

They might pause and wonder briefly at times,

why doesn't this work for me?

It seems to work for other people.

There are other people who seem to be successful

in this area of life,

but why not me?

Oh well.

And they just keep on doing what they've always done.

Proverbs 26, verse 11.

Proverbs 26:11

As a dog returns to its vomit,

so fools repeat their folly.

Think about that.

Have you ever watched a dog do that?

Puke up something on the floor

and then sniff it and lick it,

and then walk away,

and only one minute later,

come back and sniff it and lick it again.

Dogs do that.

It's almost like they're so captivated

by the smell of things

that any intelligence that they have

is just bypassed,

and ooh,

what's that over there?

It's like they completely forgot

that it's there because of them

and that it's no good.

And, says Solomon,

people can be like that too.

We do foolish and stupid things,

and then we do them again,

and again,

and again.

just kind of sniffing our way through life

like a dumb dog

who learns nothing from his experiences

and continues to forget

what he's gone through.

So coming back to 2021,

there are two things that we can do.

One is,

to more or less,

relive it

again,

and again,

and again.

Make the same mistakes.

Do the same dumb things.

Give into the same

mindless sniffings.

Scratch the same recurring itches.

Say yes to the same regular urges.

Or,

we can stop.

We can break the cycle of foolishness

by giving careful thought

to our ways,

to the things that we have done,

the decisions that we have made,

where those decisions brought us,

what has been the result of them,

and what can I learn

from all that I experienced in 2021?

It's only then

that we have the opportunity to change.

To grow.

To become wise.

Prudent.

To become successful in that area of life

that's been a continual struggle

or challenge for us.

And so if you haven't done it yet,

I want to challenge you

to take some time,

whether a morning,

or an afternoon,

or an evening,

whatever works for you,

to just sit down

and quietly reflect

on this past year.

Having your calendar out

can be helpful

to jog your memory

and trigger memories

of what you experienced

this past year.

For some of you,

a paper and pen

might be helpful

to keep you focused

and lessen distractions.

You might try and list out

a few of the wins

of the year

and also a few of the failures.

What are those weaknesses?

Those opportunities

for growth

in your life?

What can you do differently

this year,

2022,

to grow

in those areas?

And of course,

I would encourage you

to pray about all of this

as you do it.

As I went through

that process again

this past week,

I was reminded

of just how good

God has been to me

and to my family

this past year.

And I was also reminded

of how merciful

and forgiving

and patient

God has been to me

this past year

with all my failures,

sins,

shortcomings,

sins.

So give careful thought

to your ways,

to your steps.

But this doesn't mean

just to reflect

on the ways

and the steps

that we've taken

in the past.

It also means

that we should give

careful thought

to the ways

and steps

that we are about

to take

now

and in the days ahead.

Inevitably,

as you look back

on 2021,

you'll remember

and you'll see things,

steps that you've done

that you wish

you hadn't,

things that you said

that you wish

you didn't,

ways you went down

that you wish

you could go back on.

And for those things,

praise God

for his grace

and for his forgiveness

through Jesus,

our Lord.

But now,

this is a new year.

This year

will be full

of new decisions

to make,

new opportunities

to do things

differently

and better.

You'll have opportunities

to get off

some of those

old,

tired,

and well-worn paths

that have been

getting you nowhere

and instead

to cut some new trails,

trails that by God's grace

may take you

where you really want

to go

with your life

and where he

wants you to go

with your life.

But to make

those changes,

you first need

to stop

and give careful

thought

to your ways,

to the steps

that you will take

today

and tomorrow

and in the weeks

and months ahead.

And so,

I want to encourage you

to set some goals

for 2022.

There's more than one way

that you could do this.

You could write down

a handful of goals

for the whole year

on a page

or you could sit down

and write out a few goals

for each month

as it begins.

Some of you might be thinking,

goals?

Who does that?

Goals are for CEOs

and people who take life

too seriously.

I don't need goals.

And I used to think

like that myself.

I'll just kind of do

and feel my way

through each day

as it comes.

But that's not really

giving careful thought

to your ways.

That's called

flying by the seat

of your pants.

And eventually

that merry-go-round

gets tiresome

and you realize

that you're getting nowhere

with many of the things

that are most important

in life.

One of my favorite quotes

that's not from the Bible

is,

if you aim at nothing,

you will hit it

every time.

And it's true.

Goals

lead to habits.

Little decisions

that we make

about how we spend

our time

every day

and every week.

Habits

like those

lead to progress

in whatever

we're aiming at.

Do you want

to make progress

in 2022?

Do you want

to grow

in 2022?

Or do you want

to fritter away

half the year

scrolling through

news

and social media,

watching TV,

playing games?

the wisdom

of the prudent

is to give thought

to their ways.

And so set some goals

for this year.

And I want to encourage you

to set at least

one goal

that's not a work project,

but a character

growth

kind of goal.

as you look

back on 2021,

what did your

decisions reveal

about your character?

What character

quality

would you like

to grow most in

in this coming year?

Make that a matter

of prayer

and focus on it

this year.

It may lead you

to listen

a little differently

as you read

through your Bible

again this year.

It may lead you

to seek out

the wisdom

of those who

have that quality

and maybe even

make some much

needed changes

in your life.

As we think

about goals,

we must also

admit that it's

possible to have

a whole page

full of goals

and to accomplish

every single

one of them

by the end

of the year

and yet have

wasted the entire

year.

Goals only

get you

somewhere good

if they are

worthy goals.

Solomon's not

just telling us

to be intentional

here,

but to be wise,

to give careful

thought to our

ways and steps

so that we

take the ways

and steps

that are good,

that are right,

that are most

beneficial,

that are most

important in life.

life.

And our goals

should reflect

what's most

important in life.

Leaving Solomon

for a moment

and going to

Moses,

Psalm 90,

Psalms 90:12

verse 12,

a psalm of

Moses in which

he prays to the

Lord, he prays

this,

teach us to

number our

days that we

may gain a

heart of wisdom.

wisdom.

I love these

words.

First of all,

a heart of

wisdom.

It's one thing

to have a

wise mind.

It's one thing

to know in

every situation

what you ought

to do,

what you should

do,

but it's another

thing to have a

heart of wisdom,

to deep down

love to do

what is best

and desire to

do what is

good.

for most of

you,

these things I'm

sharing with you

this morning,

I'm sure you've

heard these before,

you've already

got that wisdom

in your head,

but have you

got it in your

heart?

Is it in your

heart to do

these things,

to live wisely

and productively

in this next

year,

to accomplish

much that is

good and

right for the

glory of Jesus

this year?

you might

wonder,

well,

how do I

get wisdom

not just in

my head,

but in my

heart?

And God

tells us here

through Moses'

prayer how it

can work.

He says,

Moses prays,

teach us to

number our

days,

that,

so that we

may gain a

heart of

wisdom.

So it is

possible to

gain a

heart of

wisdom.

wisdom.

How does

it work?

By learning

from the

Lord to

number our

days.

It is

possible to

break the

cycle of

going back

to sniffing

and licking

at your own

vomit,

to gain a

heart of

wisdom,

to stop being

a fool,

to stop doing

the same

stupid things

that we do

over and

over again.

and it

comes by

learning to

number our

days.

For some

people it

takes a

terminal

illness to

bring them

to the

place where

they finally

realize that

every single

day is a

precious gift

from God

and that

they've

wasted many

of them.

think about

your life.

Each new

day is part

of a

limited edition

series that

will soon

come to an

end, both

for you and

for me.

2021 is a

good example

of this.

It's already

been spent.

It's done.

Your 2021,

my 2021,

is written

in the

history books

of heaven

and it

cannot be

changed.

Teach us

to number

our days.

Already

today,

there are

only 363

days left

until 2023.

there are

only 29

and a half

days left

until we

start February

again.

Blink

and it'll

be spring.

Blink

again and

harvest will

be drawing

to a close.

Before you

know it,

we'll be back

here again

saying the

same kinds

of things

about 2023.

But here's

the kicker.

None of us

truly knows

just how many

days we have

left.

And we'd

be fools

to assume

that we all

will live

to the

ripe old

age of

96.

Let's not

forget also

that health

and strength

often start

going downhill

even decades

sometimes

before we

get to 96.

You might

think,

well,

I'll give

more of my

time and

attention to

those things

that are

important

later.

When I'm

a little bit

older,

when I've

got more

time for

them.

but when

you get

to older,

you might

not have

the health,

the strength,

the mind

to do

those things

anymore.

Truly,

God could

take any

one of us

out of this

world any

day.

It could

happen by a

tragic accident

or by

critical organ

failure,

you name it.

we are

fools to

presume that

God will

give us

more time

down the

road to

do the

most important

things in

life,

the things

that he's

called us

to do

today.

It's only

when we

learn to

number our

days that

we realize

what is

most important

in life.

Not how

much money

is in our

bank accounts

or how

nice to

houses or

the vehicles,

not what

level our

video game

character is,

not what

the best

golf score

was or

whether we

won or

lost the

sports games

that we

played.

It's only

when we

come to

see that

our days

are running

out that

we realize

what is

most important

in life

and it's

then that

we begin

to set

worthy

goals of

what we

might do

with the

days that

we have.

goals that

lead to

habits that

take us

where we

really want

to go in

life and

where the

Lord wants

us to go

in life so

that we can

look back on

2022 in

years time and

say thank you

Lord for all

the worthwhile

things that you

enabled me to

accomplish this

past year.

back to

Moses for a

second.

There's

something

humbling

here.

It's in the

way Moses

says it.

He doesn't

say thank you

Lord that you

have taught me

the lesson of

how to number

my days and

that you have

given me a

heart of

wisdom as

if he's

already figured

this out as

if he's

already got a

heart of

wisdom.

him.

No.

Moses dare I

say is even

humbler than

we are.

He includes

himself in the

prayer.

Teach us

including me

says Moses to

number my

days so that

I may gain a

heart of

wisdom.

I don't know

when he wrote

this or how

old he was or

what had

happened in

his life but

there came that

time when

Moses admitted

to the Lord

that he had

need for

wisdom in

his heart.

That he had

need for the

Lord to show

him what the

span of his

life really

was so that

he could live

more wisely.

Will you make

that your

prayer this

year?

Teach me

Lord to

number my

days so that

I may gain a

heart of

wisdom.

I wonder

what you're

thinking right

now as you

hear all this.

Reflect on

2021.

Set goals for

2022.

Well I know

that's right.

I know that's

good.

But

Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22:13

verse 13

the sluggard

says there's a

lion outside

I'll be killed

in the public

square.

26 verse 13

a sluggard

says there's a

lion in the

road a fierce

lion roaming the

streets.

Well I would

get out and

work but I

can't.

It's not

safe.

Excuses.

Now this might

sound a little

strange to us.

I mean if there

actually was a

lion roaming the

streets it would

be prudent not to

go there and put

ourselves in danger.

We wouldn't

typically call such

a person a

sluggard or

lazy.

So is there

really a lion out

in the streets

or is maybe this

person more like

Chicken Little?

The sky is

falling.

There's a lion out

in the streets.

Or maybe like the

boy who cried wolf.

There's a lion.

Look at me.

Give to me.

I can't work.

I don't know.

Whether there's a

lion or not.

I don't know.

But the point I

think Solomon is

making is that the

lazy person makes

excuses.

He doesn't get to

work.

I would do that.

But there's a lion

outside.

I wonder what some

of our excuses might

be today.

I would take some

time to reflect and

to set goals for this

coming year.

I know that's good.

I know that's what I

should do.

But I haven't got

time.

I'm too busy.

I would do it.

But I've got all

these kids to look

after.

And they need my

attention constantly.

I would do it.

But with all the

cold weather that

we've been having and

the short days, the

lack of sunshine, I

just have no energy.

I won't be able to

concentrate.

I would do it.

But how can I make

goals when there's

COVID in the streets?

Or when COVID

regulations are

constantly changing?

What if something

changes and I'm not

even able to make

my goal?

Maybe I shouldn't

set any goals in the

first place.

Excuses.

Let me be blunt and

frank.

Let's not deceive

ourselves with

excuses.

Let's not comfort

ourselves with

excuses in this

next year.

If you can't make

the time for the

things that are most

important in life,

if you can't make

time for the things

that are wise in

life, then you are

a fool.

fool.

And you will suffer the

fate of fools and you

will repeat your

folly again and

again and again as a

dog returns to its

vomit.

You'll be like the

lumberjack who says,

I can't stop even for a

moment to sharpen my

axe.

I know it's getting

duller, but I've just

got too many trees to

chop.

Or you'll be like the

motorist who refuses to

pull over and check the

map.

Got to keep moving.

I'll find my way.

As long as I'm moving,

I'll get there fast.

And yet, what if you're

driving in the wrong

direction?

No, we must not make

excuses.

We must not put off

prayerful reflection and

planning.

We must give careful

thought to our ways,

past ways, present ways,

and future ways.

We must pray like Moses

did and ask the Lord to

teach us to number our

days and to give us that

heart of wisdom.

In the great race of life,

we might look around and

see all the hairs bouncing

around here and there at

breakneck speed.

And we might fear that if

we don't just join in with

them, we're going to miss

out.

We won't be able to keep

up.

I won't be able to keep

up if I take time to stop

and pray or to reflect or

to set goals.

I'll be like the turtle in

the great race of life.

But who wins the race in

the end?

The hair.

Or the tortoise.

James chapter 3, verse 13.

James 3:13

Who is wise and

understanding among you?

Let them show it by their

good life.

By deeds done in the

humility that comes from

wisdom.

What good will you aim to

do with God's help in 2022?

What deeds will be done by

your hands in this coming

year?

Ephesians 2, verse 10.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's handiwork

created in Christ Jesus to do

good works which God prepared in

advance for us to do.

Let me remind you and

encourage you this morning.

At the start of the year,

God has it in his mind and

even in his plan for you to do

good work for him this year.

God has it in his life.

God has it in his life.

God has it in his life.

So let's not, as we often say,

take it easy.

Let's not say, don't work too

hard.

Let's not say, there's COVID out

there, I can't.

Let's not say, let's not

let's instead say to one

another, brother, sister, your

days are numbered.

Look, man, Jesus is coming back

soon.

Who then is the faithful and

wise servant whom the master

has put in charge of the

servants in his household to

give them their food at the

proper time?

It will be good for that

servant whose master finds him

doing so when he returns.

I don't know who said it, but

my mind often goes back to this

quote.

Only one life will soon be

passed and only what's done for

Christ will last.

And so may God fill us with his

spirit and give us power and

grace and wisdom and love for a

fruitful and productive year.

year for his glory and for the

good of the people all around

us.

Let's pray.

Father in heaven, thank you for

the gift of life.

Thank you for all the precious

moments that we've had over the

past year.

Sweet moments of relationship.

Thank you for even the challenges

and the trials that you used in

our life to strengthen us, to

deepen our faith, to grow us in

our character.

Thank you that you love us enough

to let us go through hardship at

times.

Only you know, Lord, what 2022

holds for us as individuals and as a

church, but we commit the year to you, Lord. We pray and ask that you would have your hand on us

and bless this year for each one of us.

We ask that you would lead us to make good decisions, wise plans,

and to succeed in those things that are pleasing to you one day at a time.

We ask this in Jesus' name and for his honor. Amen.