Before you get old...

Time wait for no man, infact the day of death comes spontaneously. It is what you won't know till it comes. That's why many people do affirm that this is one of the countless ways God is still God over us. Except you commit suicide, you don't really know when you will die. Some also live life without the eternity in view. Needless to say, some believe that they have to enjoy life first here on earth before thinking of heaven, unfortunately some of them have their lives cut short in their prime. Longetivity of lives is not even assured during this end time period, many people have died this year from various reasons you can't possibly start to think of. You see people dying in their teens and prime and you wondered the agony of sudden departure. This is to show that anyone can die anytime but people are not preparing for life after death, how their eternity will look like. It's always good to remember our creator while we are still on earth. Our journey here on earth is but a very short one, our eternity is all that matters.

King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes in his old age. He was the wisest and also the richest king of Isreal. This man lived his life in affluence and pursued pleasure to the utmost. You could imagine a man with 300 wives and 700 concubines. It beats my imagination. Except for technological advancement. It will only be a few people who can boost of the riches of Solomon. He experienced peace during his reign to as a king. In summary, we could say he enjoyed life that he even said in Ecclesiastes 2:10, he stated "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure..." Nevertheless it's this same man that towards the end of his life, reflected on life as he had experienced it and concluded that all of life is meaningless, useless, hollow and vain if not lived for God. I wondered how some people think they can substitute God for pleasure, it doesn't work that way my dear. God can't be substituted for anything, no matter how life seems favourable to you, without God it is vanity upon vanity. The book of Ecclesiastes gives a honest reflection of an old man who realized lately that without God nothing else can satisfy (Ecclesiastes 2:25). Thus King Solomon counsel that the best time to remember God, the creator is the time of youth. The time of youth is the middle stage of one's life; between childhood and old age. It's the time when one is strong, agile and healthy, and one is able to serve God meaningfully with one's strength.

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that one will not be youthful and strong forever. It's a time in one's life that one must make use of. The opportunities of the youthful years will not always be there forever. Hence there is need to serve God while you are young and strong; and have the ability to do many things. Nevertheless no one can obey or serve God acceptably by one's strength alone. You need the power of the Holy Spirit, which will be given to you when you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Have you given your life to Christ or you are still deliberating whether to surrender yourself to God or not. Remember, a time is coming when you will no longer be strong to do as you have always done. Hence, now that you have the ability to speak, you should say good things that will bless and edify others. Now that you are young, you can be involved in outreaches, village evangelism, writing ministry; serve in church, use your gifts to help others, sing, play musical instruments, be involved in cleaning the church environment and so on.

Many young people live as if they own their lives. They choose to follow their own passions and ambitions rather than God's purpose. Some choose to waste their youthful age on immorality, drunkenness, unseriousness, violence and involvement in all manners of vices, thinking when they are old, they will get serious with God. It's dangerous to think that way, because no one knows what tomorrow holds. We only have today and use that judiciously.