Last I checked only God can manage time. The rest of us are managing ourselves. Thus the Psalmist prays,

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Psalm 90:12  (NLT)

Literally Moses prays, “teach us to number our days.” Moses reflects on the shortness of our lives in contrast to the immensity of God’s everlasting existence and extraordinary power. Only God could possibly turn back time. Therefore, we must manage ourselves and that requires wisdom. We always give ourselves to something and that requires time. Wisdom is the capacity to choose well in light of greater purposes and a vision of common good.

 

So manage yourself. Reflection on life and the Gospel will lead us into wisdom. Jesus spoke of “dissipation” as a reason some people do not continue in their walk with Him. Thankfully, the Gospel of Jesus brings us into greater purpose for our lives and generates true worship. Jesus rescues from both laziness and workaholism.

 

Why is wisdom required?

Life in a broken world can become perpetually hard.

Little time suckers come so easily and become habits draining us.

We can despair because the energy required to discipline ourselves for the good work God gives us seems too much!

Sometimes we need to gloriously “waste time” by intentionally “not doing” and just “be” with Jesus and with people, or by ourselves.

Sometimes a hard reality in our life today causes us to wonder, “How can I do this for the rest of my life? For Another four years? Another month? Or even another day?”

We need patterns of life that move us from rest to work, from the wait of abiding in Christ to the fruitfulness of abiding in Christ.

 

And so we need to pray, “Oh LORD, establish the work of our hands!” “Yes, Make our efforts successful!”

 

13O Lord, come back to us!

How long will you delay?

Take pity on your servants!

14Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,

so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.

15Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!

Replace the evil years with good.

16Let us, your servants, see you work again;

let our children see your glory.

17And may the Lord our God show us his approval

and make our efforts successful.

Yes, make our efforts successful!
Psalm 90:13-17