Lately, since starting my seasonal gig, my mornings usually begin the same way. I get up early, make myself a cup of coffee, and settle into the living room to write. Most mornings, I’m working on something for The Devotional Guy. The house is still dark. A cat or two snoozes in my lap. And for a little while, the world can wait.
These quiet moments give me room to wrestle with life, study Scripture, think about God and His Word, and pray for the people I love.
These days, I’m also working as a seasonal recruiter for Samaritan’s Purse. It’s meaningful work, but this particular assignment is scheduled to end in mid-December. Like so many things in life, it’s a season with a beginning and an end.
And then there’s family.
Terri and I are increasingly aware that our aging parents don’t have as much time ahead of them as they once did. We want to steward the time we have with them well. We want to be present, available, and intentional about making memories while we can. We want to love them and care for them well.
Of course, doing that isn’t always easy or convenient. Work has its demands. Life has its routines. There are responsibilities to meet and plans to keep. Sometimes, loving people well means adjusting those plans and making room for what matters more in that moment.
That’s where we find ourselves in this season of life.
Good stewardship isn’t just about how we use our money, our talents, or our opportunities. It’s also about how we use our time, where we direct our attention, and how we show up for the people God has entrusted to us.
We don’t get to choose every circumstance, and we certainly don’t know how much time we have left with the people we love. But we can choose to be more intentional with the time we’ve been given.
Psalm 90:12 reminds us to ask God to teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.90.12.ESV
Maybe that’s part of what these quiet mornings are teaching me. Before the workday begins, before the demands of the day start competing for my attention, there’s an opportunity to slow down, listen, pray, and remember what matters.
The coffee eventually runs out. The cats wake up. The sun comes up. And it’s time to get moving.
But hopefully, I carry a little of that morning stillness with me.
What season of life are you in right now? And what might it look like to steward this season?
Numbering your days isn’t about becoming fearful of the time you have left. It’s about recognizing that your time is precious and making thoughtful decisions about how to use it wisely.
Until my next post…
Be salty, stay lit.
Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™
© 2026 Rainer Bantau | The Devotional Guy™ | All Rights Reserved
Interesting. I will have to check it out. I like the idea of making a “to be” list. Right now, I feel like I’m drinking from a firehose most days. Thanks for stopping by, David. Blessings for your week ahead.
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“But we can choose to be more intentional with the time we’ve been given.” Malcolm, over on the other side of the pond, writes today about planning his “to be” list for the week. He does this every Sunday, even though he’s retired. You have the same theme today, brother. I love how God often chooses a theme for the day. I’m making my list for the week! God Bless!
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