Jump Start # 3301

Psalms 39:4 “Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days.”

Our verse today is a prayer of David. He was recognizing the brevity of life. What follows are, “my days as handbreadths,” and, “my lifetime as nothing in your sight.” He continues, “surely every man at his best is a mere breath.” In James, life is pictured as a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away.

Lord, make me to know my end. Now, just how would the Lord do that for David? What was David looking for in that prayer? And, how would knowing this help someone? It seems that with this thought looming in our future, one would walk around with a bag over their head and be gloom and doom all the time. “I’m going to die,” would come up in every conversation. But, that’s not the spirit found within the Bible. Solomon after he went through a long section about death in Ecclesiastes, tells us to rejoice, enjoy life and make the most of the blessings from God. Paul, sitting in a Roman prison, would write, “Rejoice in the Lord.”

Some thoughts for us:

First, all around us are reminders of “the end.” Every movie ends. Every book ends, even God’s book. Every sermon ends (though some may question that). Every pet has an ending. Trees dies. Shrubs die. Animals die. Every day in the news there is reports of death. We cannot escape that fact, that all living things have an end. Are these reminders from God? Has God placed these things before us so we will never forget that we too are coming to an end. Eat well, you’ll still have an end. Exercise hard, you’ll still have an end. Take you vitamins, you’ll still have an end. See your doctor on a regular basis, you’ll still have an end.

For, David, there were vivid memories of the end. Through his hands, a lion, a bear and a giant were killed. His hands had so much blood on them that the Lord would not allow him to build the temple. Within David’s own household, the end came for Amnon, Absolom and others. A little baby that was born to him and Bathsheba came to an end before he ever learned to walk or talk.

Ecclesiastes tells us that it is better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting, because that is the end of every man and the living take it to heart. Make me to know my end.

Second, this is much more than acknowledging that we are going to die. Knowing my end, makes me realize that I only have so much time to do good. There is only so much time to influence others. There is only so much time to help others. The sand is falling quickly through the hour glass. Making the most of our opportunities is something that ought to be burning deeply within us. It’s not about making a name so we won’t be forgotten. It’s about helping people see the Lord.

Third, knowing that I have an end, and what happens at the end, will keep me walking closely with the Lord. From our side of the cross, we know about the resurrection. We know about Heaven. We know that our end, doesn’t really end. We merely switch places. We switch rooms. Our work here is finished, but we are not finished. Through eternity we will live. Loving the Lord and walking in His grace, brings sunshine to the darkest days. All problems will end someday.

And, if our lives just came to a screeching halt one day, and that was it, most wouldn’t think it’s all that bad. But, there is an eternity. There is a Heaven and there is a Hell. There is a God that we must stand before. This is why our words, our choices, our attitudes, our worship matters. There is so much more than the here and now, there is the forever that one must remember.

Lord, make me to know my end. For many, today is that day. Their lives will end this day. Some will be shocked. Some who never thought about the other side, will be on the other side. Were they ready for their end? Had they thought about that day? Are they ready to see God?

Make me to know my end…powerful thoughts for us.

Roger