Enjoy Life...God's Way

Today, Pastor Coleborn preached from Eccl 11:9-12:7.

1. Called to enjoy life
In Ecc 11:9a, we read of the word 'youth'. Youthful exuberance and enjoy of life goes together easily. In some ways, youth holds the best years of our lives. We are called by God, to enjoy all the good gifts He has given us. Many times, people think that being a Christian is just purely full of "you can't do that" and "you can't do this". But no! Though there are God's commandments to follow, but He has also provided many many things that are good for the Christian. These things, when used by the world, is wrongly used and thus vanity and sorrow is brought about. But if we Christians use God's gifts wisely - at the right time, place and way - then we'll be able to experience the true joy and enjoyment of God's good gifts (Psa 16:11 - "fulness of joy forevermore").
In Eccl 11:10b, we read that "childhood and youth are vanity". The word vanity in this context means short. The freshness of youth that can help us experience the joy of life is only for a little time. Thus, we are called to use our time and all the other good gifts that God has given us wisely! Don't waste whatever He has given us!

2. Called to remember God
Eccl 12:1a mentions "Remember now thy Creator". The giver of all the good gifts is the Creator (Jam 1:17)! Remember Matt 6:33? Before we enjoy that good life that God has given us, we are to seek Him FIRST!
This made me think of a song that has the following chorus:
All good things around us,
Are sent from heaven above.
So thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love.

3. Give Him the best years
We are to give God the firstfruits of our lives (Exodus 23:16, 19), meaning when we are in our youth.
However, there are many of us who are not in our youth anymore. And we have to admit that older years limit us in ways that younger years do not. We are limited in our capacity to serve God. But still, there are many ways, that we can be faithful in our lives to God (Psa 92:12-15).
In the later half of Eccl 12, we read of a Hebrew poetic description of limitations that can come with our age:
In v3, "grinders cease because they are few" refer to our teeth dropping out and thus our inability to chew. The phrase "windows be darkened" refers to our eyesight failing us.
In v4, "doors shall be shut in the streets" means that our hearing ability starts to go. The phrase "he shall rise up at the voice of the bird" refers to us not being able to sleep well. Lastly, "the daughters of musick shall be brought low" means that we are unable to enjoy things as they used to be. For example, an elderly lady of 80 is not able to play tennis like she used to in her younger days.
In v5, "the almond tree shall flourish" refers to us growing lots and lots of white hair. "The grashopper shall be a burden" means that our bones start to grow stiff and with every movement of ours, there are creaks and cracks (Background info: a grasshopper does not have a backbone). The sentence "man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go along the streets" refers to us dying one day and funeral arrangements being made for us.
The whole of v6 refers to us when finally called from this life, are like a treasure lay broken. And in v7, we read of our lives going back to God when we die.

Conclusion
Life without Jesus Christ can only be a dead end. It will not give you true life. But with Christ in our lives, we'll have eternal life. It's a life worth enjoying and living. Of course, not just youth as mentioned in Ecclesiastes is important. There are many other references in Scripture that speak of the aged as important people because they have more maturity.