March 20 Daily Rhythm

Morning
Psalm 90:7-8

For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

We have a tendency to so stress the grace of God in our Lord, hero, and rescuer, Jesus – that we forget the valid, good, and just wrath of God. No man or woman can stand before God on their own terms. No one. This is what it means to fear God. We should, in fact we must fear God. But we are those who are in union with Christ. We are people who stand free of wrath because the rightful justice for our sin and rebellion against the maker of all things has been dealt with. Thanks be to God who has made us righteous before him because of Christ alone!

Afternoon
Psalm 90:9-11  

For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?

Who considers the power of your wrath and anger? There is nothing new under the sun. We think we are unique, but humans throughout history have failed to see this. We are a blip. The New Testament will call our lives a mist. Her today gone tomorrow. Lord, help us to live those years well for your fame. Help us to live in a way that we enjoy them. Help us keep this in perspective.

Evening
Psalm 90:12-17

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Knowing our brevity leads to a heart of wisdom. Let us be satisfied with your deep and unfailing love for us. The psalmist feels the tension between what is and what is meant to be. What WILL be. Help us to live this tension, and in the midst of this tension, establish the work of our hands. We give you our work today. We did our best. You bring the fruit of what we sowed, and help us to sleep in the knowledge that your will is better than our own.