a thousand days

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand (anywhere else)….”
Psalm 84:10 Amp

Sometimes life gets so hectic that it would be tempting to jump on a plane and head to the tropics, even for a day.

That happened to me once. I won a trip for two to Cairns just after Rick & I got married, so in no time we were literally off to the tropics. The only downside was that I had also won first class seats, but forgot. The airline also didn’t notice, and we travelled economy. Funny how you can hold the ticket to higher places, and the only reason you’re not there is because you didn’t check!! But that’s another topic….

So considering the chances of winning a trip (to anywhere!) are relatively slim, there are plenty of alternative ‘escapes’. Unwinding in a day spa perhaps, finally reading that book (from beginning to end of course), consuming all ranges of food and chocolate, shopping (not for groceries!)….the list of places to go and things to do is endless. A change is as good as a holiday, right?

Seeing we are using our imagination, imagine what you could do with a thousand days. If money was no option – where would you go? What would you do? The Colorado ski fields just flashed before my eyes, and the Venetian coast….you could spend all day dreaming of what you could do for a thousand!!

Most of us in the real world can’t just drop everything and disappear for that elusive day, or a multitude of them. Even when we do get away, whatever we left behind has to be faced again, usually right where we left it.

The reality of this verse is almost incomprehensible. How amazing that spending a day with Him, in His courts, in His presence, is better than a thousand basking in the tropics (like Fiji for instance).

Time with Jesus…..how can you match that with anything the world has to offer? You can’t.

Just as realistically, how do you avoid being distracted by the realities that come with parenting, marriage, friendships, family and the responsibilities of life? You can’t.

Solution?.....Grab the moments. Grab those minutes that come your way. If a day with Him is better than a thousand anywhere else, then a minute with Him must enrich the hours ahead.

The rewards seem to be worth all those moments in time that eventually will turn into a day in His courts. The verse that follows is one of my favourite promises in the Bible….a reward for turning our heart towards Him more and more each day.

“For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows (present) grace and favour and (future) glory (honour, splendour, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
Psalm 84:11 Amp