February 14, 2021
Perhaps the most aggravating thing about growing older is, well, growing older! I remember growing up when I would ask my grandfather if he wanted to get up on a cold, frosty winter morning and go rabbit hunting. His reply was, “No, I just don’t believe my knee could take it.” I didn’t understand his answer then, but as I type this with a cold wind blowing, freezing rain falling, and my aging neck and shoulders aching, I understand now all too well! King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes most likely as an old man looking back over his life and recording the lessons he had learned as he aged. When he comes to chapter 12, he starts by saying, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,” before you start to age. Then, in verses 2-7, King Solomon gives us a wonderful description of what is like to grow old. He tells us to remember our Creator before…the keepers of the house tremble (our balance isn’t as sure as it once was)…the strong men bow down (we don’t walk or stand as straight as we did when we were younger, instead we find ourselves stooping over)…the grinders cease because they are few (our teeth start to fall out)…the windows grow dim (our eyesight begins to fail)…the sound of grinding is brought low (we can’t hear as well as we once heard)…one rises up at the sound of the bird (good, sound sleep becomes more difficult)…the daughters of music are brought low (parties are not fun any more and music just doesn’t lift us up anymore as it did in the past)…we become afraid of the height and of terrors in the way (we just seem to grow more fearful about a lot of things as we age)…the almond tree blossoms (our hair turns white like almond blossoms)…and the grasshopper is a burden (once active, as we age we become weak and more feeble) and finally, people go to their eternal homes (we die and move on into eternity). While I am not old compared to some people, I am old enough to begin to relate to what Solomon is writing here. His encourages younger folks to give their lives to God while they are young. I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said, “It is a shame that youth is wasted on the young.” Solomon ends his walk down memory lane by reminding his readers that, “the conclusion of the matter is to fear God and keep His commandments.” This is wise advice for the young, old, and anyone in between.
Be blessed and be a blessing . . . Brother Andy
