Certainties – Greg Laurie Devotion – June 22, 2026

Biblical Context

Psalm 90 stands out in the Book of Psalms because it’s the only one specifically attributed to Moses, the great leader of Israel. You’ll find it right there, ‘A Prayer of Moses the man of God.’ This psalm likely comes from a hard time, maybe even during the forty years Israel wandered in the desert after leaving Egypt. Think about it: a whole generation was dying off because of their rebellion, never getting to see the Promised Land.

Moses, who lived to 120, saw a lot of people come and go. He saw God’s anger at sin and felt the weight of human lives that seemed so short compared to God’s never-ending existence. This psalm is a deep look at how short our time is here on earth, especially when you compare it to God, who always was and always will be. Moses asks God to teach us to count our days, so we can live with wisdom and purpose, knowing our time is limited. It’s a call to look at our lives through the lens of eternity.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word “trouble” from Psalm 90:10. In the original Hebrew, the word often translated as “trouble” in this verse, specifically referring to the “pain and trouble” (`ʽāmāl` – עָמָל) found in our best years. This isn’t just a small bother.

`ʽĀmāl` (עָמָל) means hard work, toil, misery, pain, or suffering that comes from effort. It speaks of the heavy burden and frustration that can fill our lives. It’s the kind of trouble that wears you down, the kind that comes with living in a fallen world where things often feel messed up and hard. It shows us that even when life seems good, there’s a struggle built into the human experience, a reminder that this world isn’t our final home.

Death: The Great Certainty

Benjamin Franklin wasn’t wrong when he wrote, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Think about it: people spend their whole lives trying to get around paying taxes, using all sorts of plans and strategies. But when it comes to death? There isn’t a single person who has ever found a way to avoid it, and there never will be. It’s a truth that stands firm for everyone.

The Bible is very clear about the fact that there will come a time for every person when life on earth will end. It’s not a maybe; it’s a sure thing. The author of Ecclesiastes helps us see this natural order: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–2 NLT). Life has a beginning and an end, and death is part of that cycle.

The Appointed Time and the Urgency

The author of Hebrews pushes this truth even further, writing, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 NKJV). Most of us assume, or at least hope, that our appointed time will come after a long life here on earth. We want to live to a ripe old age, see our grandkids, maybe even great-grandkids. But the Bible makes no such promises.

For some people, the time to die comes much sooner than expected. You see it every day – accidents, sudden illnesses, tragedies. For others, it comes much later, after many years. It’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? Statisticians have estimated that two people die every second. That’s one hundred and twenty people every minute. Over seven thousand people die every hour. That’s a lot of lives ending, all the time.

That’s why the words of the psalmist still feel right: “Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10 NLT). Our time here is short, and even the good parts often carry a heavy load of difficulty.

Remember Your Mortality

A historical legend tells us that Philip II of Macedon understood this truth. He commanded his servant to stand in his presence every day and repeat something like, “Remember Philip, one day you will die.” The ruler wanted to be reminded of his mortality, to keep his feet on the ground and his perspective clear. He knew that no matter how much power he held, death was waiting.

Steve Jobs, a modern figure many look up to, spoke about this too. When he gave a commencement speech at Stanford University, he said, “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it.” He was right. It’s a universal truth.

Death: The Great Equalizer and Our Harvest Crusade’s Call

Death is the great equalizer. It doesn’t care who you are, how much money you have, what your title is, or where you come from. It comes to everyone. And that reality is what gives our Harvest Crusade its urgency and importance every year. People need to hear about the life beyond this one before this one ends. We don’t know when our time will come, so we can’t wait.

According to the Bible, after death there are two destinations. This isn’t a guess; it’s what God’s Word tells us. Every person decides now – not later, not after death – which destination it will be. Every person decides where they will spend eternity. Those two options are Heaven or Hell. You get to make the choice while you’re still breathing.

The apostle Paul made it simple and clear when he wrote, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 NLT). That’s how you decide to go to Heaven – to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing He died for your sins and rose again. To do anything else is to choose to go to Hell. It’s a stark choice, but it’s your choice.

The Urgent Message for Today

This is our urgent message. Think about those statisticians again: two people who were alive just one second ago won’t have a chance to hear it again. They’re gone. Their decision has been made, whether they knew it or not. That’s why we can’t be quiet. We’ve got to tell people the good news about Jesus now. You never know whose last second it might be. This truth should give all of us a real push to share what we believe.