Life Can Seem Like a Tale That is Told

There is significance in how we spend our time: seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years. And how we perceive or frame those years spent is also important.

Have you ever asked someone, “What are you doing?” And their response is, “Same o, same o.” Although you don’t know what that same ole thing is, you know the person doesn’t think it’s even worthy of mentioning.

I’ve made the same response more times than I want to admit. What about you?

We all know that time is precious and trivial things have little or no significance. But time isn’t insignificant. Every day is a present. We can open it in gratitude. And we can use it in obedience and service to God and others.

It’s too easy to take on a same o same o attitude about life. Don’t you agree?

 Psalm 90:9b – A Same O, Same O Perspective about Life

Many religious scholars credit Moses with writing Psalm 90. Maybe this same o, same o is how some of the Israelites felt while trampling in the wilderness for 40 years. The sentiments expressed in Psalm 90:9b resemble the same o, same o attitude about their circumstances.

The verse states, “We spend our years as a tale that is told ( KJV).” And their tale is lived and told while under God’s wrath.

They didn’t pine about their disobedience; they pined about their punishment or discipline.

There were monotonous days and nights in the desert. For those who knew they would die in the desert, their years were like time spent telling a bad tale. Their days were so predictable that it became a tale told and lived again and again.

 Difference Between a Tale and Story

Interestingly, the word tale is used in Psalm90:9b as opposed to story. What’s the difference between a tale and a story? A story has one or more principal characters with goals, and progress is a visible and measurable component over a given time. A tale may contain experiences and events, but it may or may not evolve around a central progressive goal. The tale may wander off in different directions but never reach a destination.

In the Israelites case, those judged by God preferred a long life filled with happiness but received a sentence of sorrow and an early death in the wilderness where they started.

 Disheartening due to Being Disciplined

Psalm 90:9b sounds disheartening with the lives of many perceived as a tale that was spinning but not going anywhere. Doesn’t it make you think of an animal chasing its tail or being stuck in a maze, unable to find the exit.

At the time, some of the Israelites couldn’t visualize God’s promise to them possessing the Land of Milk and Honey. Because of disobedience and unbelief, many lived a tale in the wilderness and never reached God’s blessing of the Promised Land.

What happened all those years in the wilderness? Nothing of historical significance occurred.

After God sentenced many to die in the wilderness, their physical needs were still met. But they had no prospect of living in Canaan. All their days were consumed in God’s displeasure with them, and they wandered until death.

They felt estranged from God and from their brethren who believed and trusted God. The believers would reach the Promised Land.

It was the same o, same o for the unbelievers. They camped, ate, and walked for days which was repeated for months and years. Whether they thought time went by slow or fast, they were going nowhere.

These refused God’s promise and blessings of houses they didn’t build, happiness, and a land flowing with the fruits of God’s blessings.

What About Us Today?

There are different kinds of wildernesses, and we may have to journey through one or more. But never stop trusting God. But even without going through a wilderness, our past seems somewhat of a tale. The things we do day-in and day-out are acts and scenes of our lives.

When we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, we remember and share snippets of our lives. There’s no way to relive the time lived or to tell it all. So, we show videos and pictures of graduations, vacations, marriage, children, awards, and other life experiences. These remembrances are but a brief tale of many years lived—both happy and sad times.

At my 40^th wedding anniversary celebration, we showed a video. There were pictures of large afros and bell-bottom pants, and halter tops. People laughed at the various images. I laughed too.

Looking back, our lives can seem like a tale, but we thank God for today. Today is our present. I’m going to open mine and use it to glorify God in every act and scene.

What about you?

Be safe