"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!" Psalm 39:4
It was declared "an American podium sweep" in the women's 100-meter hurdles last Wednesday night when three American runners claimed the gold, silver and bronze medals with times of 12:48, 12.59 and 12.61. Reportedly, the race for third was so close that Kristi Castlin of the United States won it only by leaning in at the finish line to beat Cindy Olfil of Great Britain by a mere two hundredths of a second. Wow. Can you even comprehend how short of a time that is? And yet, if we could ask Olfil, she would probably tell us that those short two hundredths of a second were long enough to cost her plenty.
Speaking of time and cost. What is time worth anyway? I mean what is it's value? Marc Levy once wrote that if you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who missed the bus and if you want to know the value of a second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident. And I would say that if you want to know the value of a centisecond, ask an Olympian who went home without a medal. Perhaps that's why the psalmist cried out to the Lord pleading with him to make known the measure of his days. David wanted to know how fleeting his life actually was that he might make the most of the time he had... he wanted to know time's value.
Truth be told, no matter how many days we live, life is short. Each second, each day, each month and each year are gifts that are undeserved and, therefore, of the highest worth. And since neither you nor I know when we will reach our "end", we should live as if each moment counts right? Because each moment really does. What will you do with your gift of time today?
Heavenly Father, thank you for each moment that you choose to give us. Help us to realize how fleeting life is that we might feel an urgency to do things that have an eternal value, things that will make the world a better place by us having lived in it. May we be so grateful for each day we have that we spend it praising the Giver of it. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
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