You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. – Psalm 39:5

Today's Scripture Reading (July 7, 2022): Psalm 39

Christian author Joyce Rachelle argues that we shouldn't "be afraid to make mistakes. But if you do, make new ones. Life is too short to make the wrong choice twice." As someone who seems to make the same mistakes repeatedly, I may need to heed that advice. But the problem is that we get into a rut, even when it comes to our mistakes. For instance, I keep making the same spelling and grammar mistakes over and over again. I am sure that if my computer had a will of its own, sometimes it would just quit and flash this message on the screen; "Really! Won't you ever learn?" And the answer is maybe life is too short for me to figure out how to spell 'traveler" right (I always use too many L's – as in traveller).

And the truth is that the older you get, the quicker time seems to pass. Is it possible that my oldest grandchild has already finished her first decade of life? Or that I have been married to my wife for over four decades. I remember when I was young and wanting to jump ahead to see where my life would end up. Now, it has all passed by me so fast that sometimes I wish I could go back and do it all over again.

David admits that life is short. He calls it a handbreadth which is one of the smallest measurements in Jewish society, a little less than two inches. And even the King is not immune to the passing of time. Part of David's prayer is that God would remind him of how quickly time passes. But the purpose of the reminder is not designed to depress David or the readers of this Psalm but, instead, to remind the King to make the most of each moment.

Life is short, but it is not too short for us to make a difference. Jesus saved the world in three years of ministry, and most of us are given much longer. I agree with Rachelle that we should not be afraid to make mistakes. What we should fear is doing nothing and not making a difference in the world where God has placed us. I pray that we would love lavishly because this life is too short for hate. This life might be a handbreadth or a vapor that is here one moment and gone the next, but we can still be change agents in the lives of those around us. And if we all change our world, then the larger world will be transformed, all because we decided to make a difference for good and God.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 40