Ecclesiastes 12: 1-7

Last night in Youth Group we went over the last two of Ecclesiastes to conclude our study of the book. What hit me was the way that Solomon describes the process of aging. The words that he uses are poetry. The kind of poetry and use of metaphors that make me smile.

It is also a very good call to reflect on our youth, and what we are doing with it. We are called to heed the call of Christ, and live for Him, before we are too old. Why waste years of our lives serving ourselves when we can bring glory to God?

What are you going to do with your life while you still have the time and energy to do it?

 

1 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”:
² While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;

These are the days when you are still young
³ In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;

Weakness. Losing teeth. Losing eyesight
⁴ When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all the daughters of music are brought low.

Your hearing is affected
⁵ Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to his eternal home,
And the mourners go about the streets.

Old people become scared and worry. They lose the desire to work. And finally we all die.

Next verse: Hair becomes grey

⁶ Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.