Ecclesiastes, 11:9-12:7.
The last part of the talk of the great king was to the youth of Israel; he said,
“Rejoice, O young man in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow (anger, discontent) from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity” (empty and quickly passing) Ecc. 11:9,10.
It is good, to be happy, but if a youth is happy only to do as he pleases, he will soon do evil; and evil always causes sorrow to the doer and to others, and must at last be punished. A young man is the strongest to do his own way, but any who do only as they wish, are wrong, for God, the Creator of all., deserves first to be obeyed. That is why the king gave this earnest command:
“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.”
When young, we think we will always have pleasures. But the king told those youths of the time when they would be old, and they would have no interest or desire for these things; when even the sun, moon and stars would seem less bright; when the body would be like a, house whose keepers tremble, and bow for weakness. In those days each family had big stones to grind grain for their food; even that harsh noise would seem low, he said, for the ears would be dull to hear. Then would come death. The king spoke of death in a very gentle way, he said, “man goeth to his long home.” He told how quickly death can come, as a cord of silver is easily broken, or a pitcher broken at a fountain, or a water wheel at a cistern.
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it.” Ecc. 12:7. Jesus said,
So you boys and girls have even greater reason to “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth”, for He is also the Saviour. Do not wait until old to think of Him, but rejoice in Him now. To learn of Him and honor Him, is a pleasure for both young and old.
These are words of comfort if death does come:
ML 07/13/1941