I fell in love with biblical numbers the first time I read through the Old Testament of the KJV Bible in my early 30s. I found BibleStudy.org helpful in gaining an understanding of biblical numbers. Although every number holds a significant meaning we can learn from, I am partial to the numbers one, three, seven, eight, and ten.

Today, the number eight jumps out at me. BibleStudy.org says it represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man’s true ‘born again‘ event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life. As I find myself within this eighth season of life, those words all hold significantly true for me.

How much more encouraging, then, to come across two verses this morning that struck a chord with my heart and eight at my thoughts 😉 – James 5:8 and Psalm 138:8.  

The first eight came from James 5:8 – Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. My Soul Cries for when Jesus will appear in the sky to gather the church into his bosom (1 Thessalonians 4:17) as promised. God has already set the perfect timing for that great event. I understand my assignment on earth is to be patient and strengthen the foundation of my hope of his reappearance while drawing the lost to the cross. My talents & gifts are not my own; they were given to shine the light of Christ into this ever-darkening world (as Abusa (Pastor) Saul Mateyu shared this past Sunday at Grace and Truth Baptist Church). Thank you, Abusa Mateyu, for this great exhortation!

The challenge is to look at what we are drawing to ourselves. For example, dung/waste matter attracts flies and can breed infection/pestilence, whereas nectar/pollen attracts bees who take it to other bees/plants to increase them. The math is simple: do you want to be known for breeding mess or pollinating life?

The second eight came from Psalm 138:8 – The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.  We ARE the work of the Lord’s hands. For 60 years, I have been the Lord’s 3-dimensional clay project. I have been broken, twisted, shaped, molded, baked, and put in the fire, only to be taken out to repeat the process. Has it been painful at times? Yes, it has. Have I wanted to turn back or give up? Yes, I have. But the most important question is of all is: do I believe that God has a purpose and a plan for little ole me in the overall scheme of the heavens and the earth? Yes, I do!

Because I believe this, I stay humble; I worry less about being perfect and treat each day as a new beginning because:

• Every fall is a lesson on how to rise after a fall,
• Every hurt is a lesson in how to love others as Christ does,
• Every trial is a lesson on how to be still and wait on the Lord,
• Every want is a lesson on clarifying our prayers and supplication, and
• Every day is an opportunity to check the fruit of the Spirit and learn to suffer long with ourselves and others until the perfecting process begins again.

I understand this truth: we have a Book that contains the history, ensamples, and examples of the simplicity of newness, and every day is a new beginning!