Reflection Questions: “O Lord, Make Me Know My End and the Measure of My Days!” (Psalm 39.4)
by Pastor Gene
- Of all the things the writer of Hebrews could have chosen to say about Jacob’s and Joseph’s life of faith, he chose only to mention what they did in their very last days (Hebrews 11:21-22). Why do you think that is?
- In Genesis 28, Jacob, sleeping with a stone for a pillow, saw a ladder or staircase of some kind that reached from earth all the way to Heaven. Angels were ascending and descending upon it and atop the ladder stood the Lord Himself. God appeared to Jacob to assure him that he would be blessed and protected. The point of the story is that God would be present with Jacob wherever he went (28:11-15). When Jacob awoke, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (28:16-17). Think about your life. What are some of the times when the Lord was with you, but you didn’t know it? Because the Holy Spirit lives in us, everywhere we go is Holy Ground. How should this affect the way we live our lives? What are some of the implications of John 4:21 for our lives today?
- Read through Psalm 139:1-18 sentence-by-sentence. Discuss the meaning of each sentence and share anything that personally resonates with you from your own experience.
- Why was it so important for Jesus to share what He did in John 14:1-3 with His disciples before His crucifixion?
- Consider the transient, fleeting nature of our lives in the following verses: 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:13-16, 1 Corinthians 7:31b, and Isaiah 40:6-8. Why is it so important to be aware of these things?
- Consider your own life against the backdrop of Hebrews 11:13-16 and Ecclesiastes 3:11. What is your hope and expectation? How is eternity in your heart?
- Moses wrote, Lord, “teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). How can numbering our days make us wise? See also Psalm 39:4-5.
