“Do not be anxious but seek first the kingdom of God.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 30, 2025
“To number our days is to recognise them for the precious gift they are.”
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12
Last week, in the midst of chasing my to-do list and fussing over the state of my house, my best friend called to say that her mother had been put on hospice care and was fast approaching the moment that she will meet her Lord Jesus face-to-face. I went to say goodbye and was flooded with memories of this dear, wonderful woman who has had such an impact on my life… on so many lives. She was my beloved piano teacher and a second mother to me. I wrestled with the sense of feeling robbed – her days seem far too few! But when I consider how she has invested those days, the words of the Psalmist spring to mind. Here is a woman who numbered her days well, putting aside selfish ambition and personal gain to love and serve others. Hers were the riches of God’s wisdom, and all who have been blessed to know her have been the richer for it.
The loss of a dear one has the potent effect of giving us laser vision, if just for a moment. All the trifles and pettiness of our daily lives suddenly show up for what they are, and the things that really matter stand out starkly: serving God well, loving people selflessly, creating beauty and bringing the light of Christ into this dark world. This week I’ve been given pause to examine how numbering my days might rearrange my priorities in the coming year. I picture a king in his counting house, numbering his treasure, stacking coin after gold coin. In truth, no matter how large or small our treasure hoard of days might be, the point of numbering them is to recognize that each one is a precious treasure, a gift from the One who wrote each of our days in His book before one of them came to pass (Psalm 139:16). How am I investing that treasure? Am I gaining a heart of wisdom to present to the Author of my days?
One memory I will treasure is from my piano lessons during my high school years. I was often stressed in those days, and, unconsciously, I would carry the stress in my shoulders until they right crept up to my ears. My wise teacher would stand behind me where I sat on the piano bench, place her hands on my shoulders and gently push them down, saying, “Take a deep breath, honey. You can’t make music while you’re all tensed up.” Oh, the wisdom of those words! They are the essence of what Jesus meant when he said not to be anxious but to seek first the Kingdom of God. May we number our days well, setting aside worry about the things that don’t last, so that we might be conduits of Kingdom music in this world.
Prayer
Lord, I pray just as the Psalmist prayed that you would teach me to number my days. May I see each day as a precious gift from you and invest wisely in the things that will last for eternity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Application
Instead of making new year’s resolutions, spend time prayerfully journaling about how you can invest your days meaningfully in the coming year. What will you cut out? For what (or whom) will you make time?
Related Reading
Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:20-21; Ephesians 2:10, 5:15-16
Worship Resource
Rain for Roots: Wisdom and Grace
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