What are God-days?
“Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts” — Psalm 90:12, HCSB
Two days before 2019 ended, I almost didn’t see the new year. My Fellowship of Christian Athletes teammate and I were on our way to grab lunch at Chipotle when I happened to look in my rearview mirror and see danger! A large truck was barreling toward us.
Flooring the gas, I attempted to steer out of its way, but the truck didn’t slow down. Boom! After crushing us from behind, the truck continued to drive another 30 yards, jump a curb and knock down a tree. My car was totaled, utterly destroyed, but thankfully our lives were spared.
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If God had not prompted me to look back and react, we would have likely finished 2019 in Heaven — or at the hospital. Although I’m looking forward to Heaven, I believe the best is yet to come, and God isn’t done with me. Praying and meditating on this situation, especially once I did see 2020, took me to Psalm 90:12, one of my favorite verses. Psalm 90 is the oldest of the 150 Psalms in the Bible, written by Moses as a prayer.
In this Psalm, Moses prays to the Lord for instruction and revelation, “Teach me to number my days!” I don’t think he literally meant counting his exact days of life on earth (even though that isn’t a bad idea); but instead, Moses asked God how to make every day count. Moses even threw in the condition of “carefully,” realizing that slowing down is key to seeing every day as a gift from God!
Count your days to make your days count.
I love the second part of this verse, “So that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” More than ever, I need, want and desire more wisdom. Daily. When we count our days, we make our days count, and we grow in wisdom.
A great definition of wisdom is simply seeing things the way God sees them. When we view every day in this way, there is no waste. Every day counts. And when every day counts, we don’t have just good days, we have God-days! Not perfect days, but God-days. What are God-days? Times we see God’s fingerprints all over them. He is working and using the good and the bad for His purposes. Each day is filled with mission and meaning.
No wasted days, just God-days!
In light of my accident, I am reminded that life isn’t a playground — but a battleground. Every day, there is a battle for my soul waged by an enemy seeking to kill and destroy. Satan wants to turn God-days into wasted days. I won’t stand for it. I want to attack 2020 with more wisdom. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” I am lacking! I need more wisdom today! So, I’m asking God for it, and I invite you to join me!
We must believe our best is yet to come! God will always show up and work His plan —which is good and pleasing. Oswald Chambers says, “Keep your life so constantly in touch with God that His surprising power can break through at any point. Live in a constant state of expectancy and leave room for God to come in as He decides.”
There are many reasons to believe the best is yet to come in our lives, but I think there are three main reasons.
- God is in control.
- God is good.
- God wants the best for you.
For me personally, and for FCA, I believe the best is yet to come. God’s hand is strongly upon FCA, and He continues to pour out His favor and blessing. It seems like it was just yesterday when I found myself in a room of 150 staff and felt amazed by how many incredible leaders God raised up. That was 1990!
To start off 2020, we hired our 2,000th teammate! For more than 65 years, God has used faithful FCA servants to reach millions of coaches and athletes. We’re now doing ministry in 93 countries! The best is yet to come! Coaches and athletes are being led into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ around the world.
When we count our days, we make our days count. No more wasted days or even good days. Just God-days ahead for all of us.
Dan Britton is the Chief Field Officer for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has served FCA since 1990, and since 2013, has led FCA’s international efforts, traveling extensively around the world, as FCA works in 92 countries, training thousands of sports leaders, coaches and athletes.
