The verse Ecclesiastes 12:1 says “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them.” This verse encourages young people to establish a relationship with God early in life, before the pressures and troubles of old age set in. Here is a detailed explanation of what this verse means:
Remember God While Young
The first part of the verse tells young people to “remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” This is a call to develop an active, ongoing relationship with God early in life. Too often we think it’s acceptable to live however we want when young and then turn to God later. But Scripture urges us to remember our Creator from our youth up. Just as it’s wise to open a retirement account early in life, we should connect with God early on rather than waiting until old age. Remembering God includes things like:
- Thinking about Him
- Talking to Him in prayer
- Reading His word
- Fellowshipping with His people
- Serving Him
Making God a part of your life while young will reap huge dividends over the long haul. Your relationship with Him will have time to mature and deepen, helping you develop spiritual stability and wisdom for the future.
Why Remember God Early
The verse goes on to give a couple reasons why we should remember our Creator early in life. First, it speaks of the “evil days” to come. If we don’t have a firm foundation with God, difficult times can shipwreck our faith. Hardships and trials are inevitable, so we need our roots to go deep while young. A life anchored in God is far better equipped to withstand adversity.
Second, the verse mentions the years when we’ll say “I have no pleasure in them.” As we age, physical vitality decreases. We may struggle with health problems, loss of mobility, chronic pain, or other afflictions. It’s harder to take pleasure in life when your body is breaking down. But a long-tenured faith can provide hope and comfort even amid declining health. Walking with God when vigorous makes the challenges of old age more bearable.
Prioritizing God Early
Why is youth the ideal time to start remembering our Creator? For several reasons:
- Young people have more energy and zeal. This makes it easier to develop good spiritual habits. Starting later often means trying to establish new habits when your willpower is lower.
- Faith developed in youth stands the test of time. Beliefs formed early on tend to stick better over decades of life. Youth is the best time to cement your biblical worldview.
- The passions of youth can be channeled constructively into loving God. Romantic zeal, ambition, idealism, and vision for life find their highest fulfillment in Christ.
- Lifelong service to God requires starting early. No one wishes on their deathbed they’d spent less time serving Christ.
- Wisdom learned early helps you avoid pitfalls. Scripture prevents youthful lusts from wreaking havoc. Starting late means learning some lessons the hard way.
There are good reasons Scripture urges us not to wait until middle or old age to start walking with God. Our Creator wants a lifetime of wholehearted devotion, not just the leftovers at the end.
Practical Tips
How can young people today follow this timeless advice? Here are some practical suggestions:
- If you don’t have a relationship with Christ, start there. You can’t remember someone you don’t know. Accept God’s gracious offer of salvation through trusting Jesus.
- Immerse yourself in Scripture. Read it, study it, memorize it. God’s word is vital for knowing Him better.
- Find a Bible-believing church. Fellowshipping with other Christians provides encouragement and accountability.
- Develop a habit of daily prayer. Cast your cares on God and intercede for others.
- Serve in your church or community. Blessing others demonstrates living faith.
- Develop personal worship through things like journaling, singing, extended times of prayer, and fasting.
- Meditate on God’s majesty and glory. Cultivate an awe-inspired reverence for Him.
- Eliminate harmful influences that could undermine your faith.
- Surround yourself with solid Christian friends who can challenge you to grow.
The specific ways you apply this will depend on your unique personality, gifts, and situation. But the main point is to make your relationship with God intentional while you’re still young.
Waiting Has Consequences
What happens if we ignore this biblical advice? Failure to remember our Creator in youth often has these consequences:
- Increased vulnerability to temptation. Lacking a firm foundation in Christ, it’s easier to drift into sexual sin, drugs, alcohol abuse, pornography, and other dangerous traps.
- No reservoir of wisdom for tough times. Without spiritual roots sunk deep over time, trials often trigger anxiety, despair, and cynicism.
- Stunted character development. Self-mastery and maturity lag without the sanctifying power of the Spirit.
- Poor decisions with ripple effects. Immaturity combined with youthful passion brew disastrous life choices.
- Decreased lifetime impact. The most strategic years for influencing others slip away unrealized.
- Regret and sorrow. A wasted youth is a terrible thing to look back on near life’s end.
In short, procrastinating on the things of God robs us of purpose and leads to pain. Scripture urges remembering Him while vibrant and full of vigor to avoid such pitfalls.
It’s Never Too Late
For those who are already past their youth, it can be discouraging to read Ecclesiastes 12:1. Does this mean older adults can never have a meaningful walk with God? Of course not! Consider examples like the repentant thief on the cross, or the Apostle Paul’s radical conversion in adulthood. It’s never too late to start following Christ. But what we have squandered can’t be recovered either. The message remains: it’s far better to passionately pursue God early instead of trying to cram Him into the tail end of life. For those yet in their youth, take hold of this wise advice: remember also your Creator in the days of your youth!