Undistracted Widow | Chapter 19

Numbering Your Days with Wisdom

Psalm 90:12 KJV 1900

12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:14 KJV 1900

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Unfortunately, we all have to face the reality that our time on this earth is not forever. Conversely, we have much to look forward to with our eternity set in the Heavenly Jerusalem and with Christ. Until then, we must consider our days here and number them with wisdom as the title to aptly implies.

The Brevity of Life

“Surely widows understand better than most people that life is short. Even though the reality of an empty house may provide fresh evidence every day, still, at times it is hard to believe that our husband is gone.

Psalm 90:10 KJV 1900

10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Psalm 90:12 KJV 1900

12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:14 KJV 1900

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

The key verse is verse 12.

“Verse 12 says, ‘Teach us.’ We need wisdom from God that will guide us in the use of our days. Rather than sit back and simply wait out our remaining days, we need to seek God’s will.”

Order Honors God

“For the Christian woman who has trained herself to be heavenly minded, this fact will not shock her but remind her to get her house in order. Without her husband to care for her at life’s end, she will need to plan for alternate means of support. This requires that certain legal and personal matters be pursued…It is important that we not let too much time pass after the death of our spouse before attending to necessary legal and personal matters. Doing so will produce three good effects: (1) it will honor God; (2) it will bless our descendants; and (3) it will give us peace of mind.”

“It is essential that we have a will…Besides a will, it is important to have a document regarding healthcare decisions, such as durable power of attorney.”

“The term durable power of attorney refers to someone designated to speak and act on your behalf when we cannot speak or act for ourselves because of some mental or physical incapacity.”

Healthcare Decisions

“We must think twice before signing any healthcare documents that asks us to check off items on a list of possible medical interventions or treatments.”

“It is better to have flexible document in which we name a healthcare proxy to make decisions for us, and in the process we should choose someone we trust who will be able to function well, if need be, under pressure from doctors, hospital staff, and insurers.”

“To help you think about these things, I have listed some resources in the Suggested Reading - and do not overlook the Scriptures as you seek wisdom for these issues and decisions.”

“We can with the help of our attorney, write our own medial proxy document.”

Financial Decisions

“If we become incapacitated, we will need someone to pay our bills and transact other necessary business. This person is our finance proxy.”

Funeral Plans

“We can help our family by writing down our preferences for our funeral service, including the location (a church or funeral home), Scripture texts we want read, hymns or anthems, the names of service participants, and so on.”

Leaving a Written Legacy

“Sometimes people write that is called an ‘ethical will.’ This will is not a legal document; rather, it explains your beliefs and the worldview you adopted in living your life. It may also contain a family history and thoughts to be passed on to remaining family members.”

Accepting Help Graciously

“We must not let either our house or our person get into poor condition because we are too proud to ask for help or to accept it when it is offered.”

“It is important to take care what what we leave behind…What will our heirs find after we are gone?”

“Our children might offer to help us, and if they do, we should accept their offer.”

1 Timothy 5:4 KJV 1900

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

1 Timothy 5:8 KJV 1900

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

1 Timothy 5:16 KJV 1900

16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

“If we refuse their help, we are denying them the opportunity to obey the instruction of the Lord.”

“So when asking for help, we can be specific, describing what needs to be done and approximately how long it will take to complete. And we must remember to ask far enough in advance so our helpers can find time in their schedules to helps us.”

Psalm 116:15 KJV 1900

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of his saints.

Romans 8:32 KJV 1900

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Romans 8:38–39 KJV 1900

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Therefore, we can reject fear, get all our documents and personal belongings in order, and continue in faithful service to the Lord until he takes us home.”

Discussion Questions

How does the concept of numbering our days with wisdom impact the way we live our lives?

What are some practical steps we can take to apply the wisdom of Psalm 90:12 in our daily lives?

How can the brevity of life shape our priorities and decision-making?

In what ways can we honor God through thoughtful planning and preparation for the future?

What are the potential challenges and benefits of accepting help graciously, especially in times of need?

How can we ensure that our personal and legal affairs are in order to provide for our loved ones and honor God?

What role does faith play in making decisions about healthcare, financial matters, and leaving a written legacy?

How can we encourage and support one another in addressing important end-of-life considerations?