The Book Of Mysteries: 14-Day DevotionalSample

Appointing Your Days

We've spoken of the year before you," said the teacher. "Today we will speak of the days before you. What will the days yet to come bring to your life?"
"How could I know that?" I replied. "I don't really have a say in the matter."
"But what if you did?"
"How?"
"It is written, 'Teach us to number our days.' What does that mean?"
"That our days are limited, and so it's wise to number them."
"That's correct," he said. "And it's the first meaning of the Scripture. But in the original language is a secret. And this secret can change your life, the days of your life. In the Hebrew it says, 'Teach us to manah our days.' The same word, manah, appears in the Book of Jonah where it is written that God manahs a fish, a worm, and a wind."
"Then manah must mean more than number."
"It does. It means to prepare and to appoint. So you must not only number your days, you must learn to prepare your days, to appoint your days."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you're not just to watch and wait passively to see what your days will bring. You're to prepare them."
"How can I prepare my days before they happen?"
"How did the first days happen in the beginning? They didn't just happen. Before they existed, God prepared them. He appointed them. He purposed them. So if you're a child of God, you must do likewise."
"How?"
"Prayer."
"Praying for days that don't yet exist?"
"Prayer isn't only for what is, but for what is not yet."
"But I can't determine what will happen."
"It doesn't matter what happens. You appoint your days in God to bring what is good. You consecrate them for the purposes of God. And then you use your days to accomplish those purposes. Don't let your days determine your life. Let your life determine your days. And don't just let your days go by. Prepare them, that they might become vessels of blessing and life. Appoint your days."

The Mission: Prepare the days ahead. Set them apart. Commit them into God's hands and appoint them for the fulfilling of His purposes.