Knowing you only have a little time left, we usually get more intentional with how we spend our time, days, activities. We naturally make a list and think of what we want to do before some kind of change or ending.
When someone is given a year to live or a few months, they might make a bucket list of things to do. When a couple knows they are going to have a baby soon, they might take a big trip or vacation or do something adventurous that would be more difficult with a baby in tow. When someone knows they are moving far away, they make sure to visit their favorite places, eat at their favorite restaurants, and visit with their family, friends, and people they will be sad to not have in their day-to-day lives.
Our family recently experienced this as we left India. The minute I found out we were leaving, I began thinking through my list. Even more, once we shared the news with our kids, as a family, we began making a list of the last things we wanted to do in Mumbai, conversations we wanted to have--things we wanted to share with friends or acquaintances, the people we wanted to see, spend time with, and make sure we had the best goodbye with as possible.
Not only do you make of list of things you want/should do. You also say no to things that are going to hinder those important things. You prioritize. You get intentional!
What a gracious gift to know when our days are numbered. You get to make sure you do the important and urgent things! I have seen many people who were not able to enter back into a country and properly say those goodbyes and have those conversations. It truly is a gift to know our days are numbered. It is a gift of urgency!
The truth is, all of our days are numbered, we just do not know what that number is, but we should still live like life is a temporary assignment because it is!!!
"For all of our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. they years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away." Psalm 90:9-10
"SO, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12
So, this applies to everyone reading this! What if you were told you have to leave your neighborhood in one week to never return...what conversations would/should you have with your neighbors? Who would you share the Gospel with? Do it now!
What if you knew you only had a month to live? How would you spend your time with your kids or your parents and siblings? What conversations would you want to have? Would you want to ask anyone's forgiveness? Would you share the most important truth of the Gospel with someone? How would you spend that last month?
What questions can you ask yourself to ensure you are numbering your days and being wise? How might you live to have less regret? Would you spend less time on your phone and more time reading to your kids, going on a walk with a friend, or playing a game with someone? Invite someone for dinner? Go out for coffee? Write a note of encouragement?
What about your work, your job? What about your purpose? Would any of those things change? Think and process through how you are living. All of our moments make up our days, which turn to weeks, months, years, and how we are living our lives.
And even more, as we do number our days and seek to live lives of purpose for the glory of God, we ask and beg the Lord, "Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hand upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" Psalm 90:16-17