Happiness in Remembering your Creator, Ecclesiastes 8:16-12 “There is a God-shaped hole in every human heart that only God can fill.” The full quote by Blaise Pascal, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.” Remember your Creator when you don’t . Ecclesiastes 8:17 (NLT), “I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. 9:1 This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor.” Remember your Creator when there is no . Ecclesiastes 9:14-16 (NLT), “There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. 15 A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. 16 So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.” Remember your Creator when you have . Ecclesiastes 12:1-4a (NLT), “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, ‘Life is not pleasant anymore.’ 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. 4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. 5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. 6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Remember your Creator by and obeying Him. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NLT), “Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.” To Fear God doesn’t mean we should be afraid of God. It means to live in awe of God, to show respect and honor to God, to submit to Him in outlook and obedience. To fear God means we understand that God will judge everything we do, so everything matters. Nothing is meaningless anymore. CONCLUSION Ecclesiastes leaves us with this choice: Choose a meaningless end or choose meaning. Ecclesiastes argues that life has endless meaning when: • We understand reality is more than life “under the sun.” (Theism) Ch. 1-2 • We know our puzzles fit into God’s time and picture. (Providence) Ch. 3-5 • We learn to enjoy God’s gifts in spite of life’s inequities. (Wisdom) Ch. 6:8a. • We find happiness in remembering our Creator. (Fearing God) Ch. 8b -12 1 Peter 1:17-19 (NLT), “And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as ‘temporary residents.’ 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”