Remember Now Your Creator

The title of today's sermon is, Remember Now Your Creator. Remember Now Your Creator.

The title, those words probably sound familiar to you. They're from Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verse 1, and you can turn there now if you'd like. We're going to read these a few lines here. They are written by Solomon, King Solomon, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes.

And it reads, Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, I have no pleasure in them. The word remember means to think of, to recall, to keep in mind. And so when Solomon, inspired by God, urges us to remember our Creator, it means to be conscientious of God, to be mindful of God. That would include being mindful of His laws, His way of life, our responsibility to Him, our accountability to Him. Of course, to remember our Creator means never to forget about God.

Today we'll begin the sermon by considering what Solomon wrote under the inspiration of God. We recall how Solomon was given a gift of wisdom from God, and with that gift Solomon attempted, as he explains in the early part of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon decided to try to understand what the meaning of life was about. What is the purpose of this human existence, his physical existence, under the sun? He uses the phrase under the sun multiple times, and the reference seems to be, what is this physical life about? And you may be familiar that he said all is vanity of vanities, all is vanity, and his reference seems to suggest that under the sun this physical existence is vanity, meaning futile, meaninglessness, less in a breath of air, unless God is in our lives. Unless God is involved, unless we are involved with God, life is meaningless. There is no real meaning under the sun apart from God.

Now, some may wonder, okay, we're going to read about, remember now your creator and days of your youth. This sermon is for everybody. This sermon is for everyone. Although Solomon addressed the book of Ecclesiastes more narrowly to young people, young men in particular, it's not just for young men. It's for everyone. It has universal meaning. No matter who you are, what time period you're reading this in, it's for everybody. And in that sense, we could also understand that we are all young in the eyes of God. We are all young in the eyes of God, the Eternal. We are called his children. We are called his children. And, of course, spiritually speaking, whenever it is that we receive God's Holy Spirit, some of us may have received his spirit of baptism decades ago. And perhaps when we were much younger, some of us more recently, perhaps in our older years. But nevertheless, we are still children. Even spiritually speaking, we are wanting and needing to grow, to mature in God's Spirit. And so we're going to begin reading in Ecclesiastes. I'd like for you to turn to Ecclesiastes 11. Actually, you're probably there. We're going to look at Ecclesiastes 11, verse 9 through 10. And then we're going to continue on through reading to Ecclesiastes 12, verse 1 through 7. You may well have the New King James version. It's what I usually read. But for this section, I'm going to be reading from the New Living Translation. The New Living Translation freshens up the meaning a little bit. And this translation also addresses more the poetic language, the metaphors. And I think you'll, as you listen along, you'll see how it likens our difficult years as if we were, as if our human bodies were parts of an old city or old building, something like that. It puts different understanding on it, but it does lend more clear meaning in some ways. So let's look. Ecclesiastes 11, verse 9 through 10.

He writes, Young people, it is wonderful to be young. Enjoy every minute of it. Oh, it sounds like a UCG camp meeting. Enjoy every meaning of it, minute of it. Do everything you want to do. Take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.

So refuse to worry and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth with a whole life before you is meaningless-ness. Is meaningless, actually. Now, verse 1, chapter 12. Don't let the excitement new living translation still, 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.

Verse 4, continuing, remember him before the door to life's opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. Remember him, verse 5, 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. Attractive picture. 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 jars smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to earth and the spirit will return to God who gave it. So that's probably, you're used to the New King James version, that's different. And it is, I find it interesting because it does draw out some of the metaphor about our human body compared to these buildings and other matters of our daily life.

Things break down and so do our bodies in time. Today we're going to consider why we're to remember God in our youth and also not just in our youth, ultimately all the time. But as we consider why Solomon said to remember God in our youth, we'll also come to understand how important that is for us when we're young because it does have a direct impact upon us in old age. We'll be reminded that the sooner we remember our creator, the sooner and the better we can live out our lives for God. And so again, remember now your creator. So if you're not a young person right now, although you may be young in heart and young in mind, I understand that. My mind tells me I'm 20, my mother is 89, she's 20 as well in the head. It's a trick. My mom says it's a trick. Our bodies play on us, so that seems to be what it's going for me to. But imagine if you're not already a young person, imagine yourself standing at the beginning of your life's timeline. You've only lived a few years, 10, 12, so maybe 15, maybe 20, maybe a little more, but you're really at the rest of your life out there before you. It's really an exciting time. It truly is. You're at the very early years of your life, and most scientists and sociologists and others tell us that most of us will live to age 70, as scripture says, and as scripture says, some maybe to 80, and modern day science tells us that we may even live into our 90s. I think it was last year I read an article that said babies born last year will probably live to be 100, 100 years old because of nutrition and medicine and all that. Of course, that's the possibility. Time and chance happen to all. Of course, many of us already in our 70s and 80s and some blessed with more years, but for the young people, most of their lives are yet ahead of them. Your life is ahead of you. And so to know God, our Creator, at that earlier point in our life, is a blessing. It's a blessing that many may not fully appreciate, and for us older ones, maybe as we look back, we may realize we probably didn't appreciate it so much. We may not even really have much relationship with God at all when we are that age, depending on how we're brought up and where and when and all that.

And so to start out in life, to remember your Creator while you're young, it suggests, Solomon's words suggest, that as a young person you are being trained to know God. You're being instructed to know God. That means your parents, grandparents, other people around you are having a part in your education. They're having a part in getting you ready for the entirety of what your life will bring. And again, to be trained in the ways of God and then to remember to practice what you know about God and to build a relationship with God will have a huge and positive impact on the remainder of your life. Perhaps not in the ways that you may now imagine, but with the goal of eternity in mind, it will have a tremendous impact in your life. And so much of what we do, starting out as a youth, whether we choose to listen to God and what we are trained to understand from our parents about God or choose not to listen to God, that will have a huge impact on our trajectory. If we're wanting to go towards God and we make a bad decision, we may find ourselves suddenly going in a different direction. The good news is there's always time for repentance if time is what you're allowed. You see, we are not promised tomorrow. We all want to think of living for decades and decades, and that's our plan. That's my plan still. But I don't know. None of us knows. And that's why it's good to remember these things. It's good to remember God and to be accountable to Him. And so, Solomon does tell us to remember now your Creator. As young people, we begin making decisions about what we believe and what we value. We've begun to make solid decisions about what we believe to be right or wrong, good or evil, and so on. And those things we best do while being mindful of God. In that case, it should mean that we'll make better decisions and with better consequences. Remembering God during our youth will be a benefit while we're young and on into old age if we continue to hold on to God, if we continue to remember God. Let's consider a few instructional scriptures. Let's turn to Proverbs 29. Excuse me. Proverbs 22 verse 6. I don't know why that number 6 just flipped upside down on me. Proverbs 22 verse 6. Proverbs 22 verse 6 instructs parents to rear their children to follow God's law and way of life. It's the way that He should go. And some Bible translations say the best pathway to have your children choose the best pathway one might take. Verse 6 reads, train up a child in the way He should go. This is the New King James version now. And when He is old, He will not depart from it. And so ideally, parents train their children to obey God, to know about God and follow God. Ideally, they live their lives out. They're practicing God's way of life. They are exemplifying God's way of life. They're talking about God day in and day out in a natural, normal way. God is a part of our lives and their lives. Of course, the Scripture could suggest that this child trained up this way will be rigidly stuck. He'll never turn from God. That's not the way it works. This is the principle. This is the ideal. You see, God also has given us free will. He doesn't want robots or automatons or puppets. He wants people that freely choose to follow Him. The parents' responsibility, the best of their ability, and they can only do the best they can do, is to train their children up to believe God to do what He says. The child in time, perhaps as that young adult looking at the trajectory of his future life, perhaps then that child will make up his own mind about what he wants to do. Hopefully, we pray, as all parents pray, that they will choose to continue true to God.

We've been blessed if we had parents who reared us as best they knew how in the ways of God.

Some of us have had multiple generations in God's church. I look at some of you here and I know that.

Some of us were not brought up in God's church. I was not. Some of you are just newly baptized members of God's church. So, if we reared in the ways of God and learned it as young people, that is truly a great blessing. Of course, more than parents, grandparents are involved in as much as they can be. Others also have a critical part in the child's instruction. But it's the parents' role especially. It's a parent's role, duly given by God, that they are to do their very best to rear their children, to fear God, keep His commandments, and to obey Him. Let's also turn to Ephesians 6, verses 1-4. Here, Paul also instructs parents to train their children in living life God's way.

As a teacher, we're talking about training children and as parents. It's always interesting that as a child, we think our parents know everything. Of course, our children know that we don't.

But as parents, sometimes we try so hard to know everything, to get everything right. But the fact is, we won't. But we do the best we can. While we're training our children to follow God, we are also training ourselves, whether we know it or not. Ephesians 6, verses 1-4, Paul wrote, Children, obey your parents in the Lord. For this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. The promise is that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.

In verse 4, In you fathers, Paul adds, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Now, verse 4 reveals that from Paul's perspective, and time may have proven it true, and probably has, that fathers may at times provoke their children anger. Maybe they try too hard. It's possible. We want the best for our children, but it does indicate that fathers are to be involved in the training of their children.

It's very important for dads to be involved in teaching their kids about God's way of life. If dad's following God's way and mom's following God's way, it certainly could be something that children are going to want to do and readily do as well. Paul's cautioning also ensures that both parents are involved in making sure that children are being brought up to love God. Verse 1, Paul instructs children to obey their parents in the Lord. That's an interesting phrase.

That phrase clarifies that no child should obey a parent's instruction that is contrary to God's law. Again, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Albert Barnes, he authored notes in the Bible, he has this clarity to add to it. He explains Paul's meaning this way, let's just put it that way. Albert Barnes writes, no parent can have a right to require a child to steal or lie or cheat or assist him in committing murder or in doing anything other or doing any other wrong thing. And then he adds, no parent has a right to forbid a child to pray, to read the Bible, to worship God, or to make a profession of religion.

God is to be obeyed rather than man. And that does help us to understand what Paul meant, obey your parents in the Lord. Sometimes we may have parents that do not teach God's way, but if the child knows God's way, the child should follow God's way. And so Paul's direction is helpful guidance for all children, even us adult children. Sometimes as adult children, we still have adult parents that we need to get along with and work with.

God must come first. And so to honor our parents, but not to the degree that their authority overtakes the place of God's authority. Obedience to God takes priority over obedience to one's parents. And Paul's admonitions here should also remind us that try as one might, no one is a perfect parent.

We try as parents. But the fact is, we're not going to be perfect. And I hate to, well, I'll just tell you like it is, we don't have perfect children. We all want that. I know it. But we don't. We're all imperfect. We're all sinful. We're all human beings. But God gives us direction through Scripture. He's going to help us do the best we can to get much better than we can ever do on our own. And we can do better if we're with God and remember God.

In old age, we parents and children may both become filled with regrets for not doing many things better than we did when we were younger. Sometimes that's the bad thing about those difficult days when we're older. We begin looking back and wishing we had done things differently. And sometimes our children will let us know we wish you'd done things differently as well. That includes parenting. However, we shouldn't beat ourselves up about it.

Understand that we're going to make mistakes, but we need to learn from our past. Instead of letting regrets beat us up, give us guilt conscience all the time, it would seem a better thing to do is to use regrets to help us see where we can practice better repentance. We can change. We can make a course correction and maybe start heading a little closer to that standard God wants us to have.

And then we just keep striving to do the best we can to live life, and so please God.

So parents are to sit the right example of a teachable attitude and submission to God, this authority, according to his scripture. The desired outcome of our efforts to train up our children is a child's faithfulness to remember and to commit himself or herself to God. That's what we want. We want them to have a wonderful relationship with God.

Over in Psalm chapter 34, Psalm 34 verse 11 through 18, it's interesting that we may find what could have been David's instruction, King David's instruction to his children, and it's worth looking at. Psalm 34 verse 11 through 18. Again, this could be David's instruction to his own children about one's need to fear God. To fear God means to revere God, to hold God in his way of life in the highest regard or reverence possible. Psalm 34 verse 11, David wrote, Come, come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good?

Well, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. I can hear him going on in my head as I read these lines. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. That's that relationship we want for our children. The face of the Lord, verse 16, is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. But the righteous cry out and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and save such as have a contrite spirit. Speaking of the humility that we should have in going to God for help, even when we do things wrong, we can go to God for help.

And so David's words here are really very encouraging. For they tell us that God also remembers those who remember him. He remembers those who seek him, and certainly who obey him. Now, if we turn back another page or so in your Bible to Psalm 32, Psalm 32, David offers more instruction about choosing the way of God.

Verses 8 through 9, David speaks as God has inspired him. He speaks as God is speaking to us. Verse 8, this would be like a, as if he's quoting God, David wrote, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. In the way you should go, another New Lemmy translation says, the best pathway. It says, I will guide you with my eye. God speaking. In God adds, verse 9, do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. And so God, making clear here, that he really wants our willing surrender. He does not want, or he cannot force us, he does not want our stubborn forced obedience. He wants us to willingly come to him. You know, some horses and a few mules too are so well received their training from their riders, their trainers, that all the rider needs to do is say one little word, or maybe one little nudge, and the horse immediately responds. They don't need to use a bit or rain. It's sort of what God's getting at here. Willingly do what I say.

Now, if you happen to grow up with Shetland ponies like I did, they are even more stubborn than mules.

But every little child wants a Shetland pony. We're not to be stubborn animals. We're supposed to be willing to follow God and submit to him willingly and happily. Continuing on, verse 10 through 11, David elaborates further about choosing how to live out our lives, and it really comes down to the two choices. The two choices that are throughout Scripture, referred to over and over again in different ways. David writes, verse 10, Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but, on the other hand, he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you righteous, and shall for joy all you upright in heart. So David certainly wants us, as he wanted his own children, he wants all those who would know God to choose to follow God, to submit to God, to remember God, to trust him.

The only other way of life is to go away from God. And so if we want to avoid sorrows and the afflictions of the wicked, we would be wise to choose to submit to God. Jesus, of course, described these two ways in Matthew 7, verse 13 through 14. And like David, Jesus urges us to choose the way to life. There in Matthew 7, verse 13 through 14, Jesus said, "...enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, the way of the wicked. But there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way which leads to life, though there are few who find it." God has called us, you children and your parents, God has called your parents.

By calling them, he has also called you to choose the path that leads to life.

Now many of us sitting here today are sitting here now because of the influence and instruction of our parents who taught us about God and his way of life. And yes, they did it the best way they knew how. And that has been a huge blessing for us. I didn't grow up in the church, but even my parents were able to instill me a sense of the fact that there is a God, that there is something called right and wrong. And on those huge stones, I'm sure God was able to help me come along to want to know more about him. So sometimes we can learn from parents who God has not yet called.

We can learn from our parents. Now, as we're older, we older ones really should act as pillars in God's church, even if our children are grown and left our nest empty and all their stuff at home.

Even though our children may have gone, we older ones in the congregation in God's church, we can do so much to encourage our young people to choose God. We can do so much to encourage the parents, the younger parents, to encourage them not to just keep doing the best you can. Don't quit. We know you won't, but don't give in either. When we remember our Creator, we will be striving to keep to the way that leads to life. And the sooner again I state, the sooner we begin in life, the sooner we can begin to receive God's help in life and experiences in ways that are rather unfamitable right now. And so God's Word does reveal two distinct ways of life, but what are the guiding principles that define God's way? What are those defining principles that we must remember and keep? And they are the Ten Commandments. They are the Ten Commandments.

Ten Commandments define the path God wants us to follow. Now, the Ten Commandments, I'm sure we know, are not just a list of do's and don'ts for our children to memorize, and it is very helpful and good. I encourage you to have your children, and if you have any sway with your grandchildren, see if you can get them to know God's Ten Commandments as well. But they are more than just a list. And we older ones especially know that keeping God's commandments have helped to keep our long lives more stable and good and less burdensome and troubled than the lives of those who do not fear God, who do not strive to obey Him. The Ten Commandments broadly define God's way of life, which is love, and they are the foundation, the underpinnings of God's Holy Scripture. Let's look at Matthew 22, verse 35 through 40. This is one of those episodes we see throughout the Gospels where different scribes and lawyers would approach Jesus Christ and ask Him, testing Him with different questions. This one is regarding the commandments. Matthew 22, verse 35 through 40. Then one of them, a lawyer asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus said to Him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets. The entire scripture, the entire Bible, rests upon the Ten Commandments. These two great commandments summarize God's Ten Commandments, the law. 1 John 3, 4, as we may be aware of, declares that sin is lawlessness. So those who break God's commandments are sinning. Most people, whether they know it or not, are practicing lawlessness in the world. And so were we until God opened our minds to understand that. And even after we know God's commandments, we still must struggle not to break God's commandments. And when we do, we sin. When we sin, we need to sincerely repent and keep going the right way. There are many well-meaning people out there trying to live life best they know, but many are not keeping God's law. Let's notice Matthew 7, verse 21 through 23. Matthew 7, 21 through 23.

Matthew 7, verse 21. Jesus spoke these words. Jesus said, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will, he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, the day of judgment, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name. Jesus said, Then I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. There may be some who know about God's law, like us, but we must be practicing God's law. 1 John chapter 2, verse 3 through 4. 1 John chapter 2, verse 3 through 4. So yes, as parents and others loving our children or grandchildren, to set the right example of the way of God would have them be reared, we need to be practicing God's commandments in our lives.

1 John 2, verse 3 through 4 states clearly that those who claim to know Jesus Christ will be keeping God's commandments. They will be remembering their Creator, in other words. Apostle John writes, 1 John 2, verse 3, Now by this we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. Those who say I know Him and does not, or excuse me, He who says I know Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar. He's not speaking truth. The truth is not in Him. And then in addition, those who do not have God's Holy Spirit do not have Christ living within them. Let's see this. 1 John chapter 3, verse 24. Page over. 1 John 3, 24. Again, John writes, Now he who keeps his commandments, God's commandments, abides in Him, and he God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us by the Spirit which he has given us.

And so all this is connected together. Without receiving God's gift of the Holy Spirit, we are unable to know God fully and truly. We can know much about God by reading Scripture. Many people do. But without the help of God's Holy Spirit, we will not know God as fully and truly as He can and will reveal Himself to us through the help of His Spirit and His Holy Scripture. In addition, let's look at the book of Revelation. A few more pages over. We're going to be starting Revelation 12. The book of Revelation reveals that during the Great Tribulation to come, Satan will be especially wrathful against God's saints. Those are the ones who are faithful to God. Those are the ones who keep God's commandments. God's faithful comprise the church, which is also represented as a woman in Scripture. So let's notice three scriptures here in the book of Revelation beginning with Revelation 12 verse 17. Here we read, and the dragon, and the dragon was enraged with the woman. The dragon is Satan. The woman represents the church, God's faithful. And he went to make war with the rest for offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Let's look at Revelation 14.12. Revelation 14.12. Again, we're emphasizing the importance to all of us of keeping God's commandments. Revelation 14.12. Here is the patience of the saints. The patience has to do with perseverance, the endurance. We'll endure to the end. Here's the key. Here's the patience of the saints. Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. These last two scriptures emphasize that these people keep the commandments and they keep faith in Jesus Christ. So many times, traditional Christianity will tell us that we do not need to worry about the commandments of God. Just believe in Jesus Christ. Just have faith. They're only half right, and that makes them all wrong. You have to do more. You show your faith in God by keeping His commandments as Christ instructs us and guides us and directs us. The fullness of God, those commandments and obedience, also includes practicing justice, mercy, and faith in accordance with God's law. The third reference in Revelation to the read is Revelation 22, verse 14 through 15. Revelation 22, excuse me. Revelation 22, verse 14 through 15.

Blessed are those who do His commandments, who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. Again, they are doing the commandments of God. Now, verse 15 identifies the wicked who refuse to repent of their lawlessness against God. The wicked who refuse to change to repent, they will be excluded from the city. They will be excluded from the tree of life. But outside are dogs, worthless individuals, sorcerers, and sexually immoral in murderers and idolaters and whoever loves and practices the lie. These are not people who keep God's commandments. In fact, we all know who the father of lies is. Satan. Satan. And so, there's no question that God's faithful ones do, and we'll be keeping His commandments, all 10 of them, and practicing living faith in Jesus Christ, their Savior. And so, yes, God's commandments provide us with fundamental principles of God's love, His way of life, the way we should walk, and we remember God when we keep His commandments. But it's up to us to choose to do it.

Our children can't choose these things as young people if they don't know. And so, it's very important that we be teaching our young people about God's commandments and living them, living His way of life ourselves. Now, during our youth, we do progress from childhood to adulthood.

Change takes time. That's also true of our spiritual maturity. To grow spiritually takes time, and it takes effort. As adolescents, our minds and bodies undergo amazing changes with regards to our physical strength, our agility and poise. It's fun watching children, the little toddlers that just kind of stumble on the ground, and then, what, 10 years or so? You know, they're leaping over hurdles. They're doing ballet. They're playing piano. They're arguing with you rather intelligently. And it's all part of their ability, their growth, and it's an amazing thing to see. That's part of what Solomon is telling the young people, enjoy your life. That's part of what you should enjoy, your young life, as you grow into these things. It's a wonderful thing. In his book, The Body, A Guide for Occupants, I like that title. The book is called The Body, A Guide for Occupants. Bill Bryson notes several interesting discoveries about the brain, which illustrates the changes that occur to us as we mature from youth to adulthood.

Young people here might want to listen to this. This is interesting.

A teenager's brain is only about 80 percent finished, which may not come as a great surprise to the parents of teenagers. That's what he said. That's not my words. Of course, I remember when I was a teenager, my parents, I don't know if they ever said that, but looking back, they must have thought I was brain dead half the time. I was just so in a fog sometimes. And so, a teenager's brain is only about 80 percent finished, he says. Now, although most of the growth of the brain occurs in the first two years and is 95 percent completed by the age of 10, the synapses aren't fully wired until a young person is in his or her mid to late 20s. I noticed that in my own life in college, freshmen are only three months older than seniors in high school. There's not a lot of difference. It's only difference between college and seniors in high schools three months.

But, compared to a high schooler with a senior in college, it's a worldwide difference of what's going on. And a lot of it has to do with the brain is more fully developed by that time.

And so, it says the synapses aren't fully wired until a young person is in his or her mid to late 20s. That means that the teenage years effectively extend well into adulthood. Of course, I do think society has some influence, too, in the environment. Sometimes our society allows young people to keep living like teenagers until 45, 50 sometimes it seems.

So, the teenagers effectively extend well into adulthood. In the meantime, those teenagers will almost certainly have more impulsive and less reflective behavior than his elders. And they will also be more susceptible to the effects of alcohol. So, it's interesting a young person's brain is more impulsive. It's less reflective. And isn't that the opposite of what happens to us as we grow old? Especially if we enter those more difficult days as Solomon is describing, those days when we're older, we do become much more reflective. We do become more wise. And I think that it's got to be part of God's design. That's got to be part of God's design. Continuing, Bryson adds that the nucleus accumbens a region of the forebrain. It's deep inside the brain up here. It's a region of the forebrain associated with pleasure. It grows to its largest size in one's teenage years. So, the forebrain associated with pleasure grows to its largest size in one's teenage years.

What does that mean? Well, at the same time, the body is also producing more dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that conveys pleasure. It produces more dopamine in our teenage years than it ever will again in the rest of our lives. That is why Bryson says the sensations you feel as a teenager are more intense than in any other time in life. It also means that seeking pleasure is an occupational hazard for teenagers. And so Bryson notes, the psychophysiological changes our bodies undergo means that we're more impulsive, less reflective when we're young. We also tend to take greater risk in seeking pleasure. I didn't know all that when I was growing up. We just called it having fun. We just want to go have fun, get off the roof, you know, don't drive so fast. We're just having fun. But all this takes us back to the warning we read earlier in Ecclesiastes 11, 9 through 10 addressed to young people specifically. Solomon said, Rejo, he's so young man in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these, God will bring you into judgment. You're going to be held accountable. Therefore, remove sorrow from your heart and put away evil from your flesh for childhood and youth or vanity. So yes, go enjoy your dopamine that your body's producing. Be impulsive at times, but just be careful. God will hold you accountable. God will hold you accountable. He also says, Solomon said, for childhood and youth or vanity. Other Bible translations say childhood and youth are meaningless and fleeting. And again, that goes back to this idea that childhood and youth are meaningless from a godly perspective if we give no consideration for God in our childhood or youth. And that's also true of adulthood. If we live to be old, as we are now, if we're not giving time to remember God, to give consideration to God, to get our lives right with God, we are living lives of futility. We are living lives of meaninglessness. And that's the way we're living. That is what we will be passing on to our children as we try to train them up. It's no matter whether we're young or old, our lives have no meaning or purpose apart from God. Our lives have no meaning or purpose apart from God. Life is vanity and futility under the sun without God. This physical existence has no real meaning without God. So go ahead for young, have fun, enjoy your strengths and abilities.

That's part of what life should be. It should be fun. And of course, we could say the same for old age.

God's allowed us to get the age as we are. We could say, rejoice, old person in your old age. Let your heart cheer you in the days of your old age. Walk in the ways of your heart in the sight of your eyes. But know for all these, God will bring you into judgment. It doesn't change. We're still kids, remember what I said. We're still children. We have a little more gray hair, no more wrinkles. We're still children. We're still young, relatively speaking, in the eyes of God. Of course, life can be fun or old. We're retired.

We have empty nest. We can watch whatever we want to watch on television now.

We have great reason to rejoice in our old age, but especially reason to rejoice as we look forward to the future and it holds the kingdom of God. God does hold us accountable. With that, we remember God. When we are still young and learning to practice God's ways, we do seem to make more mistakes at that time than any other time in our lives.

And I guess we could blame it on the dopamine our bodies are producing. We can blame it on our unfinished brains, or impulsive, or we don't think very well. But looking back at my own life, I would say I made more mistakes and said stupid things and did stupid things as a young person. And I guess I had to go through that to learn how not to do that, do it less as an older person.

We have to learn from our past. We have to learn the lessons that our youth can teach us, our youthfulness can teach us. And so we have to be careful, as young people and as old, if we're not careful, we can cause hurt and harm to others and to ourselves if we fail to remember God.

For example, when young, we may be very quick to find fault with others, but never find fault of our own. We don't see anything wrong with us. If we don't remember God, repent, and learn to restrain our own selves in an old age, we might become known for our sharp tongue. We might become known for our judgmental attitudes towards others, and usually that is given to those we love most.

When young, we may think that we are smarter than others, especially smarter than those in authority over us. I certainly thought at times I was smarter than my teachers. But time helps to correct that when we're close to God. Left unchecked and without God's help, our pride will shove aside any humility we have. In our old age, we might be known as a know-it-all with few real friends, and we don't want that. We may complain about the hypocrisy and the way other people live, but yet never see any hypocrisy in our own words, our own behavior. We may get angry about how life is unfair. That's not right. How many times we tell our kids, yes, life's not fair.

Welcome to the world. We complain life's unfair, and yet without God's help, we will fail to see our own unfair and unjust treatment of others. We may become so pleased with our own talents and our successes, the good things we do, that we forget to thank God for His gifts. They come from Him. We can even find ourselves questioning God's existence of this young people and His old people, forgetting what we're told in Psalm 14, verse 1, that only the fool says in his heart, there is no God. We don't want that. We don't want that. So God allows us opportunities to learn His commandments and to practice His way of life, and it starts as young as we're able to begin to learn about God. And we're not supposed to give up on that. We're supposed to keep learning. But again, God does not force any one of us to obey Him. In short, if in our youth we choose not to remember God and keep His commandments, we may very well arrive at the ripe old age of whatever, filled with regrets and bitterness and misery. Old age we know too well is already difficult, and we certainly don't need the extra baggage of sin and hard consequences to go along with it. Thankfully, God gives us repentance, and it's never too late to repent or to get close to God, unless we run out of time, because time and chance helpens to all.

The time of our youth can be very difficult, but we can move forward with God. And so Solomon was right when he instructs us to remember our Creator in the days of our youth. It's vital to begin our life's journey with God at our side as soon as we can, as soon as He allows it. Our difficult days of old age will be far less difficult if we have kept and always keep remembering God. Now, I realize some of us never knew much about God in the days of our actual youth. That's true. Some are even well advanced in those difficult days Solomon describes when God called you, when God called some of us. For those of us in that category, we might catch ourselves reflecting back to wonder how differently our lives might have been if only we had known God sooner. If only God had called me sooner, everything would be different. Well, that's what we might think. But the fact is, God calls us to know Him and to receive salvation, His gift, to offer His invitation to salvation according to His will and His time. I don't think it's probably good for us to question God's timing and our calling. He knows what is best for us. It does us little good to regret the so-called lateness of God's calling. Instead, we need to be profoundly grateful that God has called us, that God has called us when He did, and that of His mercy that we accepted His invitation. We can be grateful that we are now remembering God, that we are now getting to know God better and better each day. Each day He allows us. Solomon did say, remember your Creator in days of your youth. And again, relatively speaking, whenever God calls us, whether since as babes through our converted parents or as an older adult, we need to be responding positively to that calling. We need to be staying true to Him. Now is our moment. Now, whether young or old, now is our time to be remembering God and putting it into action. And so the time of our youth is an exciting and wonderful time. And the difficult days of old age won't be as difficult if we stay close to God, if we strive always to live our lives with faith in Jesus Christ and keep His commandments. Let's consider the final words of Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13 through 14. Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13 through 14. After everything Solomon considered about life under the sun, this physical existence, he saw what he thought was unfairness in life. He writes about it. He talks about hard times. Of course, we know a little bit about Solomon. We can understand he brought hard times upon himself just as we do at times. But the conclusion of his book, Inspired of God, here's what Solomon wrote. Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13 through 14. Let us hear the conclusion of this whole matter. Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man's all. Other translations say, for this is everyone's duty. Most people don't know it yet, but this is their duty before God, to fear God and keep His commandments. Verse 14. Why should we live that way?

Four, because God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. And so we must always choose to stay on the path that leads to eternal life, make the right choices. I encourage us to enjoy our youth. Not just our young people, but our youthfulness. We should enjoy our old age. There are many blessings God gives us, and sometimes we just need to be a little more alert to the blessings God does give us. Enjoy this life God has given us in the years He allows to us.

And do so by remembering now our Creator and choosing to live in faithful submission and love to God.