Title: When you were young, remember your Creator
When you are young, remember your Creator
Ec 11:7-12:8
1. Introduction
Oh young man, “Life is not about finding yourself. Keep in mind the saying Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself! -George Bernard Shaw.
2. I will read the text slowly and meditate on it
Light is a beautiful thing, it is a delight to see the sun with your eyes... Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, before the years draw near, when I will say I have no pleasure in the sun and the light and the moon and the stars. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"-before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain...
In such a day those who keep the house will tremble: their hands and feet will tremble.
The strong will be crooked: the loins are crooked.
There will be few millennials: all the teeth fall out.
Those who look through the windows will be darkened: the eyes will be darkened.
Street doors will be closed: deafness.
It will rise by the sound of birds: with old age, there will be no early morning sleep.
All women who make music will perish: their taut voices will droop.
You will be afraid of heights: when you are old you will be afraid of heights.
On the street, you'll be surprised: you'll be afraid to walk on the street as you get older.
The apricot tree will bloom: it will be gray.
Grasshoppers will also be a burden: my lack of energy will make even my body a burden.
The resentment will cease: everything is troublesome and there is nothing to do.
The silver cord is loosened: all the elastic muscles are released.
The gold bowl is broken: the brain doesn't work well (memory decline - dementia).
The jar is broken by the spring, and the wheel is broken on the well: there is no strength to go and draw water. This means that you will no longer be able to live your daily life on your own. It's like being in a nursing home for the elderly.
So remember, before the dust returns to the ground, and the gods return to the God who gave them, the preacher said, “Vanity, vanity. All things are vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8)
3. In your youth, remember your Creator. What does it mean?
first. It is to remember freedom and responsibility. Remember the freedom and responsibility to choose, as Robert Frost exquisitely put it in "The Road not Taken." Victor Frankl said, "If there is a Statue of Liberty on the East Coast of the United States, there should be a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast of the United States."
The evangelist says, “Young man, rejoice in your youth, and rejoice in your heart in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes” (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Jesus said, “And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Young man, now the road is always and everywhere. Life of faith - occupation - marriage - friends - hobbies, etc. You are free to choose. But we must remember that freedom of choice comes with strict responsibility.
second. Remember 忍耐 (patience). According to the marshmallow story (Joachim de Posada), (1) the teacher gathered ten four-year-old children in a room and gave them one marshmallow (this experiment was conducted in a large group at random) - (2) eating It's free. However, the teacher will come back in 15 minutes (2 hours for an adult), and I will give the child who hasn't eaten by then another mesh melo - (3) Each child's reaction was different. In the end, the two children received one more marshmallow-(4)After that, after tracking the children who received one more marshmallow, there were overwhelmingly many successful people in life. Michelangelo called this “天才 (genius) is eternal patience”.
third. It is to remember old-death (Memento Mori). Not long ago, while looking around the scenery around Daeshim Namhangang-Sangsim Church in Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, I visited Yangpyeong Senior Center, a welfare facility for the elderly. The facilities were very clean. Seeing the old people there, I feel very sad (the old people who have no grudges, wrinkled eyes, wrinkled wrinkles, and a slender body are better off, but most of them don't even have children...). The words, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, before the years in which you will say that I have no pleasure in you, do it” came very realistically.
常恐秋節至