Our Days Are Like Shadows That Pass Away

Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Psalms 144:4

Over the last few weeks, I have cleaned up a lot of duplicate files on my computer. They were primarily photos, and while software made it go pretty fast, I am now down to removing some very similar photos. You know, the moments when you snap 5-10 different photos of the same shot to make sure you have at least one good one…

So this morning I came across 27 similar photos of my daughter when she was 1. My wife had taken the photos at our country home at the time while I was at work.

We both looked at the screen as I clicked through each of the photos laughing at my daughter’s silly movements while drinking our coffee.

We looked at one another and said, “Time goes by too fast.”

My daughter is now 9 years old, and the scenes in those photos seemed like yesterday.

This reminded me of Psalms 144 and other verses that talk about time.

We are only on earth for a very short time, and then our body wears out, and we go back home to God. I am reminded how we should make the most of each day, never taking even one for granted.

While we may be here today, and in good health, tomorrow could be a much different story. Our family’s health could be a much different story.

So I try and enjoy each day, and spend as much time with my family as I can. I never want to look back on life and say, I wish I would have done this or that.

No regrets.

As I think about this, and write this Devotion today, Ecclesiastes 1 comes to mind. The words of God here through Solomon explain how fast time goes by, and how our mark on the world is only temporary. While we should plan for tomorrow, we should not forget to live for today is the point.

In Ecclesiastes 1:3 Solomon asks,

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

What good is all of our labors?

For me, the question is answered in Ecclesiastes 3:13,

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

We are to work hard, but we are to enjoy the blessings our hard work brings. Enjoy the blessings God provides through our hard work, it is His gift to us.

Solomon reminds us, these simple pleasures are eating and drinking. Now think about those simple things while being surrounded by your loved ones, your family and friends.

Is that not time well spent?

We are only here on earth in good health for so many days my friends, make the best of each and every one.

In case you are wondering, I am going to keep those 27 photos.

If I delete just one, I will never get it back, just like time with our family.

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