In The Word
Read: Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14
9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.10 So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
Remember God in Your Youth
12 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;2 before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly. 5 Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 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!”
Purpose of the Preacher
9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
11 The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Solomon had sought out all of the world’s pleasures and riches, but they did not satisfy and left him empty. He tried to fill his life with pursuits of work and earthly accomplishment, but, in the end, they were valueless. Furthermore, he learned that whatever a man built and acquired on earth would remain here when he died. He summed up his pursuit of earthly things by saying, “Vanity of vanities … all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12:8).
Solomon has been described as the wisest man who ever lived. He had become “wise” in the things of the world, but he learned that only God teaches true wisdom. At the end of his journey, Solomon discovered the only thing of true worth is to “fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). He learned that when you take God out of life, then life is not good. But when God is the center of everything you do, then there is contentment and peace.
You may be reading this knowing that your life has been focused on pursuing worldly pleasures and achievements. As Peter said, “You have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do” (1 Peter 4:3). Instead, use the remainder of your days wisely to pursue God and follow His commands. Realize that God knows all of your thoughts and watches everything you do including what no one else is watching.