Without God - Part 44: Remember God

 

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come…”

—Ecclesiastes 12:1

We have finally reached the last chapter in the Book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon has just a few more words of commentary to add to his analysis of life “under the sun”—that is, life without the Presence of God in a human’s life. Please read carefully his words found in Ecclesiastes 12:1-8:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”

Here Solomon pleads with humans who intend to live their lives without God to change direction and remember it is God who created them, who loves them, and who longs to sustain them. It is God who makes a meaningless life meaningful. It is God who gives purpose and direction. It is God who binds all wounds and brings joy each new morning.

As we start out on the path that leads through another day, let us remember that it is our relationship with God that has the most meaning and the most purpose and the most value in our lives. Then, let us live our lives in gleeful service to the Great King who, when we were still sinners, died for us.

 

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