Is Life Pleasant? Remember Your Creator

Prayer ~ Lord God, I have lived a good, pleasant life because of Your love, care, and protection. Strengthen my body—and I ask the same for my family and friends as we are getting older and weaker. Thank you for the wisdom You’ve given us—help us to apply it and use it to teach others and glorify You.

First Robin of 2022
January 16, 2022 - my yard
An early chirping bird--looking for a worm. 

Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, "Life is not pleasant anymore." Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop.  Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. Remember him before the door to life's opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

 

Meditate. Dust returns to the earth.

 

Interesting how Solomon describes body parts and functions. As we age most people get cataracts and floaters in their eyes so that their eyes get dark and cloudy, as a woman looking through a cloudy window. Shoulders, once strong like he-men, become stooped and we get weaker. Then there are our legs which just don’t always seem to be strong and agile anymore. Have you gotten down on the floor and tried to get up lately? Hmmm. It is not as easy as it once was for me. My hair is white—but my yellowing teeth are capped, broken and at least one has been pulled. I know others who have had several abscessed teeth pulled and those left behind are falling over a bit. I’m sure we’ve all heard of the importance of dental health. Keep your teeth healthy and your body will be healthy! Good to start living by that mantra early in life. How are your ears? Do you hear those chirping birds and your grandchildren laughing?

God had a great design when He created mankind—and it is still good. It is best if we honor Him by taking care of our bodies. No matter what…we all came from dust and we will return to dust.

By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return. Genesis 3:19

So, before you get old and weak consider what the Lord our God has done for you, physically and spiritually.

•         What has God been doing in your life this week?
•         How do you see Him working?

It is a good thing to contemplate your relationship with the Lord daily. Life is pleasant now…in many ways. Don’t wait until you are on your death bed to respect, admire, exalt, adore, and pay tribute to the Lord. Honor God now. Remember your Creator.

 

Verses of Salvation ~ As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

 

Memory Verse of the Week ~ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Romans 3:23

 

© 2022 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins of the Bible: New Testament Stories

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com