Psalm 90 Explained – “A thousand years in your sight are like a single day”

Psalm 90 has one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, “A thousand years in your sight are like a single day” (Psalm 90:4).  In fact, the book of Peter even quotes this verse (2 Peter 3:8) and tells us to listen up, as Peter points out our need to be mindful of our short time on earth.

To help explain eternity consider the story about a snail who rode on the back of a tortoise.  Whenever the tortoise took a step the snail thought he was flying and cried out in joy, “Weeeeee!”  Funny how our lives can often crawl like that snail, from moment to moment, while God can see all of history in one fleeting flash.

Too often, we live like that snail as we inch along, one day at a time while God is urging us to think bigger.  He wants us to consider how we spend our time, always bearing eternity in mind, so we can live and act accordingly.

I talked with an 86-year-old woman who told me, “I’m so busy and don’t have any time to spend with God, but I’ll catch him at the next stop.”  No one wants to be a killjoy, but her next stop is probably coming sooner than later, so I gently asked her, “Why would you want to spend eternal time with God if you don’t have any time for him now?”

Of course, we all know there are only two choices on a bicycle: Peddle or coast.  Peddling takes effort, but that effort brings you places you want to see.  If you coast, you’ll either go down-hill or the bike will come to a stop.   Perhaps it is this way with God – we are either moving toward God by actively spending time with him, or we’re moving away from God by simply coasting along. . . Either way, we are choosing how we spend our time, and God honors our choices.

No wonder the psalmist says, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).  Growing always takes peddling and we call this type of peddling prayer.  And this means spending time with God, talking with him, resting with him, reading his book, and hanging out with him.

So, let’s say a prayer together.  Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us.  Give us the strength and resolve to peddle our lives toward you.  Help us fall in love with you so we look forward to spending time with you, talking with you throughout our day.  Help us to realize the brevity of time and to look to you as our Eternal God.

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