In our youth we intend to give God our lives — later. Later, in adulthood we’ve become so busy that it must be pushed aside until we have enough time. Until the career is settled. Until the babies are older. Until the children are out of the home. Until we retire. Etc. Eventually we run out of time and look back at all we wish we’d have done. Ecclesiastes 11 ends and 12 begins with the admonition to give God your youth! Note. Not just youth as in the years from 0-18, but, now, while we can, before tomorrow, etc. Only One Life, by C.T. Studd Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way; Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done; Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat; Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave; Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears; Each with its days I must fulfill. living for self or in His will; When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score; When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep; Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life; Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn; Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne; Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”; And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. Youth, v.1. Solomon seems to purposely say “creator” instead of God. It draws the mind to our beginnings. To the One Who gave us everything we have. The one Who made us and gave us life. When we are young our minds are always toward the future. We aren’t thinking about the past, there is so little of it for us. To bring the mind back to our creation, our creator, Solomon is encouraging us to focus our mind upon God throughout life. To remember your Creator is to bring to mind daily what He has done for you and to act on this knowledge. To remember your Creator is to make God central in your life and to focus your life on doing His will. Kidner writes, “to remember Him is no perfunctory or purely mental act // it is to drop our pretense of self-sufficiency and commit ourselves to Him.” It is “the conclusion of the whole matter” from v.13. (12:13) God Wants Our Youth! 11:9 - Rejoice in your youth. 12:1 - Remember your creator while you are younger. 1b - there are days coming that lived without God will lead to no pleasure. Johnny Hunt would always say, “you cannot afford to put off faith in God until you are older.” Spurgeon said, “Youthful sins lay a foundation for aged sorrows.” In vv.2-5 Solomon lays out what those days look like… Adulthood, v.2-5. Remember your creator before the darkness of the older years overtakes you. (Before you are too busy) Adults receive one setback after another (2): Injury. Sickness. Disease. Trouble with a child, marital problems, death of a friend. It is one depressing thing after another: “The clouds return with the rain.” Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before those days of gloom and darkness overtake you. It will be very difficult to remember your Creator … then. In the day when: (3) The guards of the house tremble. And the strong men are bent. And those who grind cease working because they are few. And those who look through the windows see dimly. Here we get the decline of older age portrayed by the decline of a structure. (House, business, etc.) The hands tremble, the legs lose their strength, the teeth fall out, the vision begins to fail. The sad reality here is, there is a day coming when your body will not be able to do for God what it can now! Remember Him, when the doors on the street are shut. (4) And the sound of the grinding is low and one rises up at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song are brought low. Hearing gets worse, what you can eat is soft and easy to chew. Your sleep is light and easily disturbed. You can’t sing like you once did. Remember, when one is afraid of heights (5). And terrors are in the road, the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails...because all must go to their eternal home and the mourners will go about the streets. Your balance goes, your back aches, you prefer stillness to movement to accommodate. The hair turns white (like a blooming almond tree). “The grasshopper drags itself along.” The grasshopper is the “embodiment of lightness and agility.” Now it “drags itself along.” The old man who was so agile in his younger days now has slowed to a crawl. He painfully moves with great difficulty. You lose your appetite(s). Death awaits you. This is depressing! What am I to do? Remember your creator now! Don’t wait until you are too busy. Or, until it is too late. Live responsibly before death comes. **Death, v.6-8. ** Finally, we progress to death — Remember your creator before death overtakes you. (Before it is too late) Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken. (6) The pitcher is broken at the fountain and the wheel broken at the cistern. (6) From the imagery of an oil lamp and then a cistern — The circulation of the blood begins to fail, the heart grows weak, it will soon stop. The life is nearly over. The dust returns to the earth as it was and the breath returns to God who gave it. (7) Charles Bridges once said, “Many have remembered too late—none too soon.” In her hymn, “Saved by Grace,” Fanny Crosby wrote: Some day the silver cord will break, And I no more as now shall sing. But oh the joy when I shall wake, Within the palace of the King. She didn’t mind death, because of how she had lived her life. All is vanity, says the Teacher. (8) The theme of the book is reaffirmed (1:2). Everything done under the sun is fleeting and therefore, in the last analysis, meaningless. What is meaningful? Birth and Death. Where we came from and where we are going. Conclusion: Give God Your Youth! Soon enough, the cares of life will have you too busy. Before you know it, life will be swiftly gone and it will be too late. Time’s Paces When as a child I laughed and wept, Time crept. When as a youth I dreamed and talked, Time walked. When I became a full grown man, Time ran. And later as I older grew, Time flew. Soon I shall find when traveling on, Time gone. And thus eternity begun, Time done. Do you want to really enjoy your life? Give God your youth! Solomon has lived his life, seen and done it all, and offers this wisdom to those coming behind him. You are younger today than you will be tomorrow. It’s not too late! Give God the time you have remaining.