Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore”. Ecclesiastes 12:1b. NLT.
I have read the book of Ecclesiastes at least once a year for many years. It is always amazing to me how many times God’s Holy Spirit points out things I have overlooked until I walk in or through the season I need it. (Or if I am honest or when I am paying closer attention I notice more things!) Solomon clearly describes in Ecclesiastes 12 the many changes that happen to older people’s bodies. If you are older, I think you can relate to this section. If you are not in this season but are taking the time to read it, I pray it will help you understand some of the struggles of the senior stage of life, but also encourage us all to “remember our Creator” at any age.
I did some research to try and understand exactly how old Solomon was when he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. Some people think he was about 60 or 70 when he passed. We can tell from the writing that he had experienced enough of life to call it vanity! I admit that reading it through I found it a bit depressing. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher: Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit has a man from all his labor? Ecclesiastes 12:2-3. NKJV.
But then, I came to chapter 12. He begins to admonish young ones: don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Eccles. 12:1 I memorized that verse as a young person, in the KJV. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. It was preached during our youth group, shared during Sunday School and occasionally preached from the pulpit. But people really didn’t focus on the middle of the chapter. Solomon gets quite specific of some of the difficulties older people face his exhortation.
He begins with the eyes. I can kind of remember when my mother began needing reading glasses. I really didn’t take much notice, except for when she engaged us in the hunt for them. Remember him before the light of the sun, moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Eccles: 12:2. I did not really appreciate how hard it was to read things as an older person, until my own eyes began to need help. It is so frustrating not to be able to read things you used to without the help of glasses. (I’ve already discussed this in my post called Faith and Blurry Vision.)
Then he moves on to our legs. Have you watched older people try to get up from a couch or chair? To my embarrassment, I remember watching someone struggle to rise and I thought, why don’t you just get up? Until it happened to me as I struggle with knee issues. Remember him before your legs–the guards of your house–start to tremble; and before your shoulders–the strong men–stoop. Eccles. 12:3. Between years of use and gravity, our bodies begin to lose strength.
Remember him before your teeth–your few remaining servants–stop grinding; and before your eyes–the women looking through the windows–see dimly. Solomon seems to have quite a grasp about the aging process. I imagine when he wrote this part, he had to be experiencing it. Those of us in our “senior” years can say the same to young people. Remember him before the door of 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. There are definitely opportunities that I can no longer choose because of my age. It really is hard to admit it. If you are younger, take advantage of the doors God opens. Use your strength and ability for good. Don’t take for granted your working body parts!
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 grace, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. I, like Solomon, want to remind us all that it is good to remember our Creator no matter what our age.
Solomon finishes the book of Ecclesiastes with these final thoughts: That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. NLT. If we want our life to be productive, even in our senior years, we must fear God and obey his commands. I like to think it will bring our best life ever. My heart and mind goes to the young people in Israel who were at the music festival and had their life cut short by the Hamas attack. I pray some of them did know their Creator, and they are with Him, now; but I fear many did not. We can only remember our Creator for ourselves and pray that our service to Him will be a light for others.
No matter our age, we are useful to God’s kingdom. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. Psalm 71:18. Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12.They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green. Psalms 92:14. Seniors, you are still useful, don’t let the enemy lie to you.
Father, no matter how old we are, we need you. I thank you for helping every “senior” that is reading this to be encouraged today. Help them to look past the aches and pains and find your strength and purpose. Help every young person who reads this to understand the importance of remembering their Creator when they are young. Oh, Father, we need you no matter what our age, circumstance or situation. I thank you, we have you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Faith Encounters 