Sunday, July 5, 2009
Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:1
Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
12:1 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”; (ESV)
by John H. Camenga
The sign in front of a church said, “Repent now. Avoid the last minute rush.” In our reading we find an elderly Solomon reflecting on how long it takes many to value eternal things. Youthful inattention to spiritual development may be a problem. Others drift away from early devotion. They make no conscious decision to stray from God, but it happens. Prayer, Bible reading, fellowship, and worship are neglected. The quality of Sabbath observance declines. Spiritual degeneration sets in. Investing our strength in following our Savior assures us of the right destination.
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2010, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.
