Is it meaningless to remember God when you're young? (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 6-8)
Ecclesiastes 12:1, 6-8
1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";
6 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,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
“Everything is meaningless!”
Ecclesiastes 12:1 - 8
NKJV - 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.
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Shirley H
Supporter
No! Ecclesiastes 11:10: "Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity." Youth passes quickly! Any adult can reflect and declare, we grow too old too soon! We also get smart too late. The more you learn about God, the better your life will be! That is, when you listen, and heed His wisdom!
Ezekiel Kimosop
Supporter
Is it Meaningless to Remember God when You are Young? Ecclesiastes 12:1 says "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” (NKJV). Ecclesiastes 12:6-8 says: "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. 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.” (NKJV). It is not meaningless to remember God when one is young. If anything, Scripture exhorts us in Ecclesiastes 12:1 that we ought to remember God in our youth before the vagaries of old age catch up with us. When we walk with God in our youth, we are led by the illumination of His word (Psalm 119:105) and we shall witness His faithfulness in our lives. Besides, God will preserve us from the pains and afflictions of riotous living that is evidenced in the life of Samson, Absalom, and Rehoboam who forsook the wise counsel of godly mentors and fell into ruin. Samson ignored the counsel of his parents and engaged in wild escapades with Philistine girls. His gruesome death recorded in Judges 16:30-31 could have been avoided if he had heeded the divine wisdom from God. It was too little too late. Absalom staged a palace coup against his father David and died in his rebellion under Joab's pursuit. His was a life ruined by unbridled youthful ambition. Rehoboam rejected the wise counsel of his father's advisors and this ultimately led to the division of the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 12). In the New Testament Scriptures, the Parable of the Prodigal Son recorded in Luke 15:11-32 serves to illustrate the impact of rebellion in a young man's life when he chose to waste his inheritance. When we remember God in our youth, we shall walk in His ways and heed His counsel in the word of God. We shall leave a lasting legacy in our generation and beyond. Scripture proclaims that David was a man after God's heart who did God's will (Acts 13:22). Despite his many failings, David led a life of devotion and commitment to God and won many battles in his life. He left a lasting legacy after serving his generation by the will of God (Acts 13:36). It is therefore advisable for young people to turn to God in their youth and hide under His wings so that they are preserved under a covenant relationship with God. Psalm 119:9-16 says: "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. 10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." (NKJV).
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