Morning Devotion - Eccl 12

Read Ecclesiastes 12

"Remember your Creator." This is the solemn word that Qoheleth gives to his son. Your old age is coming and beyond that your death looms. While you are young you may foolishly think that those days are so far off that they can be easily ignored, but this is not wise.

A time is coming when your pursuit of pleasure will not be as pleasurable. Then your eyes will not take in what is beautiful as well as they once did. Then your hands will tremble, and you will find it difficult to stand up straight. One day some of your teeth will be gone, and your sleep will be disturbed by the smallest sound, though your ears will fail you once you are awake. Your mind will be full of fears in those days because you will be quite aware that your death is near. In that day you will fear death even though your experience of life will be burdensome.

Finally the end for you will actually come. The analogies Qoheleth uses to refer to death have a severity about them. The silver chord is snapped. The golden bowl is broken. The pitcher is shattered. The wheel will no longer spin at all. All is now beyond repair, for you have reached the destiny of all men. Your body that came from dust finally returns to the earth, and your immortal spirit returns to God who gave it to you while you were being formed in your mother's womb.

But what will be your destiny in that day when your spirit returns to God? Remember your Creator today before it is too late. Don't wait until you have been diagnosed with dementia to decide that you should consider the things of God.

Finally we return to our opening motto. "Vapor of vapors, says the gatherer of the Lord's assembly; all is a fleeting vapor." These words have a powerfully sobering effect after these 12 chapters of consideration of the human condition. We should be running again to the center of the center of this book. Is there something that will stand the judgment of God? Only the person and work of the Messiah who has made an unchangeable vow to gather and perfect the church, a vow which He will most certainly keep. You must be found in Him. Your life, your work, your wisdom must be in Him, for He has conquered death.

Qoheleth will soon be finished. He was a great man. He wrote many wise and delightful proverbs, but that did not change the fact that he too faced the day of death. If there was good that would come through his words, it is because they were the wisdom of the One Shepherd. Hopefully these nails of truth will yet make their mark on the conscience of many a son. The book of Ecclesiastes must end, just as the flesh of man must one day give up in weariness.

Hear the final conclusion: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil." Draw near to Christ today. Receive His gift of perfect righteousness by faith. And work the works of one who has heard and believed the truth by the grace that comes from God. Be wise and live.