Lord, make me to know...the measure of my days.... —Psalm 39:4 (kjv)
More than twenty-two years ago, my oldest son Drew tagged along with me to an antique sale in Charleston, South Carolina. Drew was an energetic eight-year-old with no interest in antiques but glad to be with Dad for an afternoon. As we gazed across a panorama of mahogany, walnut, and cherry furniture, we were drawn to an eighteenth-century grandfather clock. The clock’s face depicted an oil painting of a farmer sowing seeds in a plowed field. We fell in love with this venerable timekeeper, and after much haggling, I bought the clock.
At first, I could not get used to the loud clanging of its bell as it rang out every hour throughout the night. But now, I sleep soundly through its faithful watch. Each Saturday night I take the clock’s key and carefully wind the archaic mechanism to allow another week of measuring time. I think of my three children scattered across the country and the wonderful years that this old clock has lived in our midst, faithfully counting the days until Thanksgiving and Christmas arrive and the family gathers again.
Gazing at the clock’s face, I give thanks for another week of life. I meditate on the farmer sowing seeds in his field and I affirm once again that the purpose of life is to sow seeds of love, encouragement, wisdom, forgiveness, and the good news of the Gospel.
Lord, help me to recall my father’s favorite motto: “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. For me to live is Christ.”
Written by Scott Walker
Digging Deeper: Phil 1:21
