Remember Now Your Creator

"Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them": (Eccl. 12:1)

Youth is supposed to be a time of fun, joy, and carefree living. It is a time when one is unburdened by the weighty responsibilities that come with adulthood. Youth is the dawn of life. It is a time filled with much potential. Young minds are full of dreams, with much hope for the future. Anything is possible. Regarding this great and wonderful time, the great king of Israel gives us some very pointed and powerful advice: to remember our God. Solomon, endowed by God with much wisdom and wealth, wasted many of his years in the cesspool of sin. Later in life, he relates his experience in the book of Ecclesiastes. And as his book draws to a close, we can see four reasons to heed his admonition to remember now our Creator.

Old Age Is Difficult

Youth, with all of its challenges and problems, is still the easiest time in one's life to cultivate a loving relationship with God. As one ages it becomes more and more difficult to serve God. Solomon paints a vivid picture of the infirmities of old age to encourage us to not put off our devotion to God. Consider the poetic description found in 12:2-5. In vs. 2 he speaks of the faculties of the mind. Youth, while inexperienced, are still able to think clearly. Furthermore, the reference to the clouds not returning after the rain illustrate the youthful hope of a brighter tomorrow. The opposite is true of the aged with one storm of life seemingly following another. He goes on to speak of "the keepers of the house" trembling and "the strong men" bowing low. These refer to the hands and the legs. The hands which once worked with strength and skill are now shaky and weak. The legs which once carried a proud man swiftly down the street are now slow and unable to stand tall. He continues to speak of the missing teeth (grinders), the failing eyes (those that look through the windows), and the dullness of hearing (doors shut). The aged are unable to sleep (rising at the sound of a bird) and cannot produce music due to weakness of the throat and lungs. Fear of height and of "terrors in the way" further signify the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability. The hair is white like an almond blossom, and a man is too weak to pick up even a grasshopper. Even if he could, he does not have the desire to do it anyway. With all of these ailments and concerns, one is too busy to be concerned with serving God.

God's Judgment Is Sure

The immediate context of Chapter 12 begins in 11:9 where Solomon enjoins the young to rejoice in their youth and to enjoy themselves. But this statement is made with a reminder that God will judge every work, even the ones done early in one's life. It is an encouragement to keep this in mind while we go through our daily lives. Certainly there is much enjoyment to be found in living a godly, Christ centered life, even for young people. The motivation for this is the judgment day, when all works will be laid bare (Eccl. 12:14; 2 Cor. 5:9,10).

Sin Results In Sorrow

"Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And Put away evil from your flesh..." (11:10). No one knew the sorrow of sin better than Solomon. All of his wisdom enabled him to see the fruit of his sinful conduct. How do we remove sorrow from our hearts? By removing sin from our lives. Satan always promises good things to those who serve him. Sin is appealing because it looks like fun. But it is not fun, it may start out that way, but after Satan hooks you, it's a downhill pull. He will not be satisfied until you are dead. You might lose all of your friends and your money. You may be a beggar on the street. You might be sick and sleeping in a cardboard box. But Satan will still be dragging you down, never satisfied until your life is done and your soul is lost.

Death Is Inevitable

It is especially hard for young people to realize the certainty of death. They see death. They know it happens. Yet they just can't imagine it happening to them. But it does. Young people die every day. Some due to accidents or illness. Others commit suicide because they've just lost hope and life's problems are too great. We must always remember the reality of death. This is not so that we can be morbid or depressed, but that we might be sober minded and motivated to serve God.

The way to handle death is to prepare for it. We prepare by seeking our Lord and striving to live according to His will. We prepare for death by obeying the gospel and putting on our Lord in baptism. It's not difficult, in fact it is very easy. Ask yourself, "Am I ready to die?" If the answer is no, what is stopping you? Do you think you have plenty of time? Do you think it will be easier at some point in the future? Do you know if you even have another day to consider the matter? There will never be an easier time to serve your Lord than right now.