Isaiah 16:12-14

¹² And this is going to happen: when Moab appears, when he is tired at the high place and he comes to his temple to pray, he will not prevail. ¹³ This was the former word that Yahveh spoke to Moab. ¹⁴ But now Yahveh speaks, saying, “In three years, like years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will become shameful, with all of the large crowd, and whoever is left will be few, small, not strong.

years of a hired worker

As it happens, I am contemplating the last three (or so) years of my life today. On one hand, I have accomplished a great deal, and I am grateful for that. On the other hand, those years seem to have flown by, and I am left wondering how eternally significant they have been. I wonder if I will think that of my entire life some day. I do not want that to happen.

Moab was at the height of its greatness, but its days were numbered. Isaiah had previously warned them that when the LORD came in judgment, their prayers at their temple would avail for nothing. Now, he says that this coming judgment will happen within three years. That was the typical amount of time a temporary worker was hired for. That is not much time to affect a change.

Time has a way of deceiving us. We get bored so easily, and we entertain the illusion that our days and years are long. They are not. All our lives are like a breath. Breathe in, breathe out. That is it. We really do not know how much time we have until the wages of Adam’s sin have to be paid up. It is in our best interest to make good use of this fleeting gift.

LORD, teach us to number our days, and years. Help us to renounce the sin of wasting our lives on the frivolous and useless things that preoccupy. Make our lives count for you.