I Choose Today to Number My Days

I once heard of a gift to give to a new or expecting parent. It is a jar of 6,579 marbles. Seems weird, but that is the number of days from the time the child is born until their 18th birthday. The idea is every day the parent would take out a marble. This signifies that each day is precious with that child. It gives a reminder to use the time with intentionality. Not to hurry their development, but to enjoy every day, every moment for the significance that they are.

Just think if we had that type of jar for our lives. How would that change things for us? Would we treat each day as precious, important, or just keep on treating them like just any other ordinary day?

Moses talks about this very thing in Psalms 90:12 when he prays, “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”

Here he is asking God to teach him how precious life is and to give him the wisdom to use each day wisely, effectively, boldly, purposefully.

Let’s face it, most of the time when we approach the day we do so with trepidation because we view it as drudgery, something to get through; to survive.

How about instead of thinking about the day in that manner, we pray this short but poignant prayer of Moses “teach me to number my days carefully.”

“Teach me to see this day as a gift; that it has purpose. Show me what you want me to see and do today. Give me wisdom on how to use this day wisely, boldly, and efficiently for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Today, take a moment to pause and reflect: How can I use this day wisely and intentionally? Consider starting each morning with a brief prayer, asking God to guide you in making the most of the time He has given you. You might even begin a small ritual — like dropping a marble or marking a note each day — to remind yourself of the gift of time. Let’s approach each day with purpose, looking for ways to live boldly and fully in light of eternity.