…or Why I Don’t Buy Into Evolution

I’m willing to give a little wiggle room to the theory of evolution. It has its benefits. It is one way of helping us understand the world around us. And on the purely animalistic side of it, survival of the fittest seems to be the natural order of things. The slowest, sickest zebra gets eaten by the lion. That lotion kills 99.9% of bacteria, leaving the strongest 0.1% to survive and grow into incurable super bugs. I get it.

But I don’t see that happening in realm of human beings. And I don’t think it should be survival of the fittest. When that starts manifesting itself in society, weak babies are left to die in the elements and millions of people are slaughtered because they have the “wrong” genetic makeup.

So how could “survival of the fittest” have led us to evolve to the point of declaring that very idea morally wrong for humanity?

Also, if humans were still attempting to climb the evolutionary ladder, shouldn’t we be getting smarter as a species? But by all accounts we are collectively dumber than previous generations. Could we actually be devolving?

We all dream of a future for our children that is better than our current generation. Always have, always will. And yet we seem unable to make our dreams a reality, no matter how noble. We dream of a world free of poverty, oppression, and prejudice. We dream of a world rid of AIDS and cancer. We dream of a world where people work together, love each other, and promote knowledge, freedom, and democracy. We dream of a world full of MLK Juniors and Ghandis.

But what are we actually doing to get there?

I believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the wisest, most loving, most generous, and most genuine man to ever walk the earth. I believe he came to show us how to make the next generation better than the last. If we loved like he loved, if we behaved like he did, if we followed in his footsteps, then I believe we would see that dream fulfilled.

But sitting around waiting for evolution to get us there will never work. It’s not like Jesus himself was any further up the evolutionary scale than we are. In fact Scripture tells us that he was made like us in every way (Hebrews 2) and that he had no divine advantage in this life (Philippians 2). We are even reassured that Jesus was not born with any prior knowledge stored away in his infant brain. Luke tells us that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Jesus still had to go through childhood. He still had to mature mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially – just like each and every one of us. Children continue to face the same challenges that Jesus did – having to grow up in a corrupt, evil, fallen world. They have to learn everything they know. They have to be taught how to love – and how to hate. And yet we are living in a time when almost half of all children grow up in a broken home and society says that’s okay.

One day I have hope that we will see that dream come to fruition. I know one day that there will be no more hunger or poverty or oppression or corruption. There will be no more boundaries and people will be free to love completely. But God is in control of when that day comes, not evolution.

Until then, the responsibility lies with parents and with the church to help raise our children into the type of people needed to make the future a little bit brighter. Because God knows no one else is doing it.

We’re still growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man – and I pray we never stop until that day comes.

Aiden is a really good helper. It makes him so proud to be able to help daddy do things – moving furniture, putting away dishes, digging in the garden, pushing the wheel barrow, and on and on. You should see the look on his face when I ask him to help me with something.

The other day that got me thinking about the way God works in the world. When Aiden is “helping me” move the coffee table so that we can vacuum around it, there’s no doubt that he is pushing with all the strength in his little toddler body. But is that enough? No. Not yet. So even when he “helps” me, it’s still daddy doing all the real work.

So why have him help? Because it teaches him how to do things. It gives him confidence. It helps him develop independence. There will come a day when I expect him to be able to do things all by himself.

People often question God about why he lets poverty, disease, death, and heartache run rampant throughout the world. I think it’s because God wants us to “help.” Now, is there really any miraculous healing or global change that can come about simply by our own efforts? That would be like my toddler trying to move that coffee table all by himself. We can’t do these things without God’s help. But that doesn’t mean he lets us sit back while he does everything. He urges us to help him.

Why? For all the same reasons that I encourage my own son to help me! While God may not need our help, we need to be helping him. That’s why he urges us to imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). That’s why he puts it in the hands of the church to feed the feed, to house the homeless, to take care of orphans and widows (Matthew 25:31-46; James 1:27).

Could God say the word and cure all diseases, equalize all wealth, and change the hearts and attitudes of everyone on earth? Of course! And one day he will (Revelation 21:5-3). But what would we learn from that?  What would that teach us about having compassion for others? How would that help build character? What would that do to build a sense of community? How would that unite people around a certain cause?

When Aiden helps daddy, he benefits more than I do. When we “help” God, we’re changed for the better. We reap the benefits.

Are you your father’s helper?

If there’s one thing the church needs right now, it’s an extra measure of God’s power. But how often do we actually ask for it?

To find out more, watch my sermon from Sunday night:

If everyone in the church prayed the following prayer on a regular basis, I believe God would show up in an incredible way, a way that has never been seen before in America.

Glorious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
   May You pour out on Your church the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know You better.
   May the eyes of our hearts be opened so that we may know the hope to which you have called us, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in your holy people, and Your incomparably great power for us who believe.
   May we experience first-hand the same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Him at Your right hand, and placed Him above all rule and authority.
   By that power, may we learn what it truly means to be the body of Christ.

Think about that one thing that you just absolutely love to do. Maybe it’s a sport, maybe it’s hunting or fishing, maybe it’s playing an instrument, or maybe it’s creating works of art.

Now think back to the time when you were just starting out. How much fun were those first few months of guitar lessons? It’s not really that much fun to stretch your fingers all sorts of weird ways. It’s not so cool to have to suffer through the pains of developing callouses. But isn’t it worth it once you finally learn how to play well?

Or what about conditioning for your sports team? Two-a-day football practices in late July/early August in Tennessee were no fun. But when it came time for kick-off under the lights on that first Friday night of the season, all that hard work was just a distant memory. And without putting in that work, there’s no way you could make that touchdown-saving tackle or make that catch for a first down.

Think about all the areas in your life that took effort, training, and discipline. The hard work that you put in on the front end pays off in a lifetime of enjoyment. That doesn’t mean you stop learning and growing in whatever area it is. But it doesn’t require the same amount of determination and perseverance.

And aren’t those things much more enjoyable once you’re good at them? Another thing I like to do is play hacky-sack. I know it sounds weird. You don’t hear many guys in their 20s say that. But I played all the time with my friends in high school. To this day I like to join a circle of high school guys and kick around with them. And let me tell you – it’s way more fun when the people in the circle are actually good. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to play with a bunch of kids that let it drop after one or two kicks.

But all these things take time and practice and training. That’s called discipline.

Discipline has such a negative connotation because we think it’s a synonym for punishment. But that’s just one of many aspects of discipline. There’s hardly an area of our lives that doesn’t require some amount of discipline or training. But good discipline always pays off.

I was having a conversation with some of our teens on a Wednesday night recently and I asked them, “What do you think the church expects from you?” Their answer? To show up to church and not to do bad things.

That’s it. Those are the only expectations placed on our young people by the adults in the church. Is it any wonder that so many young people are leaving? The church has no meaning to them because they aren’t having to go through that initial learning period. They aren’t developing the callouses and the achy muscles, so to speak. They aren’t being trained or disciplined. And without that, then how can we expect them to really understand and appreciate what it means to be a Christian?

We’re teaching them that to be “faithful” is to come to church. Well guess what? Even the demons come to church (Mark 1:21-26). Even the demons believe in Jesus and obey him.

Our teens are learning what it means to “go to church” but not what it means to be the church. They believe in God but they don’t know how to develop a relationship with him.

The speaker in Hebrews has some harsh words to say about spiritual immaturity in the church:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14)

It’s time to expect more out of our church. It’s time to embrace the disciplines of a spiritual life.

Because it’s always more fun if you’re good at it.

Today, March 14, is my re-birthday. In other words I was born again through the waters of baptism fourteen years ago today. With that on my mind, I always like to sit back and reflect on the significance of that moment in my life.

One of my favorite illustrations of baptism comes from Galatians 3:26-29

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

When you are baptized you are clothed with Christ. And if we are clothed in Christ, then our former identities don’t matter anymore. When God sees us, he sees his children.

There is an Old Testament foreshadowing of this in Genesis 27. It’s not a pretty story. It’s really one of those “Why is this in the Bible?” type stories.

Jacob and Esau were fraternal twin brothers who could not be more different. Jacob was the clean-shaven mama’s boy. Esau was the burly, hairy, outdoorsman. Their father, Isaac, was growing old. He was bent, blind, and hard of hearing. His time was running short, so it was time to bestow a blessing on his sons, as was the custom.

Esau, the older son, was to receive the first and the better blessing. Isaac asked him to hunt down some wild game and make his famous stew. While Esau was out, Jacob, with the help of his mother, was able to trick his dad into giving the blessing to him instead. Rebekah made a stew while Jacob clothed himself in Esau’s clothes and wrapped furs around his arms.

He went to his father, presented the stew, and was able to make Isaac believe that he was really Esau. Isaac blessed Jacob with the first and better blessing, leaving Esau out in the cold. Thus we see the climax of a decades-long feud between the brothers.

So what does this have to do with us? When we are baptized, Paul says that we clothe ourselves with Christ. Thus we become God’s children through faith. We all become one in Christ because we’re all clothing ourselves in Christ. And as long as we are clothing ourselves in Christ, we are freely receiving the blessing that should only belong to Jesus himself.

The beauty is that Jesus doesn’t seem to mind. We don’t have to weasel our way into God’s presence and somehow manipulate him into blessing us. He wants to bless us. He wants us to put on our big brother’s clothes. He wants us to look like, smell like, sound like, and act like Jesus.

Jesus alone should be the heir to the Father’s blessing, but he invites us all to share the inheritance!

Who are you wearing?

Pardon me while I think out loud. Sometimes it helps me to write my thoughts down in order to sort them out.

I’ve been thinking about worship a bit lately. Specifically, I’ve been thinking about the passage in John 4 where Jesus is having a conversation with a Samaritan woman alongside Jacob’s well. It goes like this:

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23, NIV).

“May they also be in us” – in God and in Jesus, in Spirit and in Truth. “I in them and You in Me – so that they may be brought to complete unity.” What’s the purpose of being in God and in Jesus? Unity. What was the problem with the Samaritans worshiping in one location and the Jews worshiping in another? Division. Strip away the locations, the formalities, the self-imposed rules and regulations and what are you left with? Tear down the church signs, break the denominational ties, and unite with other believers in Spirit and in Truth.

That’s worship.

There’s something I’ve been wrestling with for a while, and I didn’t even know it was an issue until lately.

I think we all agree that there is an alarming lack of genuineness in our churches. No matter what kind of week we’ve had, no matter how rushed we were just to make it on time, no matter how upset we got at our spouses that morning, no matter how insane our kids are driving us…we’re still expected to take a deep breath, throw on a smile, and enter the foyer like nothing is wrong. Everything is “fine.”

So we find ourselves adrift in a sea full of mask-wearing, Sunday-best-attired people.

And that’s a problem.

…Or is it?

I completely agree that the church needs to be a place, a gathering, a group where people can tear down their walls, remove their masks, share their sins and their struggles with each other. We need more of that. But is the corporate worship assembly the best time and place for this to take place?

There have been a few times over the last couple years where something will happen right before worship that gets me stressed out or angry. As a worship leader, how would it affect the rest of the congregation if I weren’t to shake it off and make like everything is okay? How effective would worship really be if everyone who was plagued by stress, hostility, anger, and heartache throughout the week were unable to cover over those wounds for a while?

You see, the church is bigger than just our worship assemblies. When we gather together on the first day of the week, the focus is not on ourselves and our own problems. Our focus should be on God, remembering Christ, and worshiping in the Spirit.

Paul says in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Granted, he’s not talking specifically about our worship assemblies, but I think the point stands all the same. When we gather to worship, God’s glory is revealed to us – not as fully as it will be on the last day, but we get glimpses of it on earth. When we worship God, we are declaring his “worth-ship.” God is worthy of all our love, devotion, and attention. That means that nothing else on earth is.

We may have problems, but in worship we are setting those problems in their proper place. There’s a song we sing occasionally in worship that has this line: “Let’s forget about ourselves and magnify His name and worship Him.”

I would submit that when we are able to rid ourselves of all the stress, anxiety, anger, and sadness in our lives and truly give ourselves up in worship to God, that is not putting on a mask. This body is temporal. These problems are passing. When we worship we are embracing the eternal part of ourselves as God’s creation. We are, in fact, being more like who He intended us to be.

So maybe, when we are able to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2), we are actually letting our true self through. Maybe we aren’t putting on a mask, maybe we’re taking it off. Maybe we’re saying, “It doesn’t matter what happens to me in life. What truly matters is that I can and will choose to worship God no matter what.”

So this Sunday, are you putting on your Sunday best or are you stripping off your weekday worst?

It doesn’t take an expert sociologist to realize that we live in a very reactionary society. We react, and often overreact, to just about everything. When someone does something to us, we react by taking revenge. They got us, we have to get them back. Just turn on any competition-based reality show and you will see exactly what I mean.

This type of action-reaction is pure entertainment to most people. Some of us out there love watching middle-aged women bicker and argue and fight like school girls. We love to watch people get into shouting matches and fist fights. It’s funny. It’s entertaining. It’s amusing to us.

Unless we encounter it in real life.

Now there are some out there (some females especially) who live for drama. If there’s not some catastrophe or crisis in their lives (real or imaginary) they begin to get bored and actually seek it out.

I don’t understand this.

Is it any wonder that self-control is listed as a fruit of the Spirit? We don’t live in a society that triumphs self-control, and we never have. Oh, individualism sure is a virtue. Our rights and freedoms to run our own lives are to be fought for in our society. But there’s a difference in controlling your life and having self-control. It’s the difference between freedom and responsibility. We want our freedom, but we cringe at the thought of using our freedom responsibly.

But can we really be in control of our own lives if we refuse to take that responsibility? Are we really in control if everything we do is simply a reaction to what other people have done to us?

In Jesus’ most famous sermon, found in Matthew 5-7, he gives us these instructions:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:38-42)

The idea of “eye for eye and tooth for tooth” is almost as ancient as human civilization. King Hammurabi of Babylon had a written code of laws and ethics for his people that included this very phrase. This type of justice is swift and clear. You hit me, I hit you back. You kill my goat, I kill yours. You knock out my tooth, I pull out one of yours. This is in the Bible (Exodus 21:24), but Hammurabi predated the writing of the Law by a few hundred years.

While this may be a clear-cut policy, it also encourages reaction and perpetuates a cycle of revenge. Jesus challenges that entire system which had been in place for nearly two thousand years. He wants his followers to develop real self-control rather than being controlled and manipulated by others. That’s the only way to break this vicious cycle.

Let’s break this down. If a right handed person slaps you on your right cheek, then they would be using the knuckle side of their own hand. That’s a slap of insult, not really meant to injure. If this were to happen to us, our reaction would be to strike back and defend our honor. Jesus says don’t do that. Instead, turn your left cheek to him, see if he has the guts to take things further.

To strike back instantly would mean that the offender has control over you. By not retaliating and then turning the other cheek toward him, you are now taking back control of the situation. You are showing that you are fully in control of your own actions. You have nothing to prove to anyone. You will not be controlled by the cycle of revenge.

Jesus then gives the example of what could very well be a frivolous lawsuit. Someone finds a reason to sue you for your shirt. You can either fight the case, lose the case, and then hand over the shirt kicking and screaming. Or you can take control of the situation by giving your shirt and your coat to the other person. The control shifts from the taker to the giver.

It’s like what Jesus said about his own life – no one can take his life from him, but he gives it up by his own power. The giver is in control, not the taker.

Next, Jesus pulls out an example that would make a lot of people roll their eyes in disgust. If anyone forces you to go one mile – that “anyone” would be a Roman soldier who could force a Jew to carry his gear for him down the road. The Jew could only be made to serve as a pack animal for one mile. It was to the point that many people has markers set up at exactly one mile from their property so that they would not be forced to walk one more yard than necessary.

Jesus says if that happens, don’t just stop at one mile. Go two miles. Or three. Or four. Now you’ve got the Roman soldier’s gear and it’s up to you when to stop. Once again, the control shifts from the soldier to the carrier.

Unfortunately, this would not make for very entertaining television. Next time on Real Housewives, watch three women try to outdo the others in showing honor and respect. I don’t think that would have many viewers…

But in real life, how much more empowering is this? Jesus is not simply telling us to roll over passively and defer all authority to the ones who want to take it. He’s not telling us to let people walk all over us. He’s challenging us to take control of our own actions. We can’t control how others will treat us, but we can control how we respond (not react).

Paul echoes Jesus’ teaching in his letter to the Romans:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)

As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Don’t get caught up in the cycle of revenge. Don’t react, but respond in love.

Who’s the boss?

Why am I here?

What is God’s will for my life?

Does life have any meaning?

I wish God would just tell me what he wants from me!

Ever had these thoughts? Yeah, me too. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if God just told us everything we needed to know about our lives and the future? Maybe. Maybe not.

You see, I believe that the future is not set. I don’t believe in predestination. I don’t believe that God has only one path laid out for you that you will end up following no matter what. That’s not biblical. That’s not our God. Our God has chosen to limit himself in this regard. Is God omniscient (all knowing)? Yes! Is God omnipotent (all powerful)? Yes! But is God omni-controlling? No. He let’s us choose.

When God created the world and put mankind right in the middle of it, he gave us both freedom and responsibility. The universe is ours to fill, to explore, to shape, to cultivate. It is also our to care for and protect. But we are not automatons bound by Asimov’s three laws of robotics. We can choose for ourselves what to do, where to go, and how to treat others.

So if God has given us free will, then why even talk about his will for our lives? Just because the Bible doesn’t support the popular ideas of fate and/or destiny doesn’t mean that our lives have no meaning, no purpose, to direction.

When I was in school and it came time to write a research paper, I hated it when the teachers would allow us to choose any topic we wanted. Some kids loved it. I did not. There are an endless number of topics on which to write! How can I choose just one? I much preferred it when the teacher would either assign us a topic or at least give us a list from which to choose.

But in those classes where the teacher let us choose our own topics, they still had expectations about the paper. It had to be so long with this many references. Twelve-point, Times New Roman font. Double spaced. Title page. Bibliography. Correct spelling and grammar. The topics could vary from “How Tootsie Rolls Are Made” to “The Rise and Fall of Bell Bottom Jeans,” but the expectations for how the paper was formed would always stay the same.

God lets you choose the topic for the research project that is your life. He let’s you choose your college, your career, your spouse, how many kids you have, where you live, where you shop, etc. But the expectations of how you present the final research project remain the same.

Check out these verses:

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:17, 23-24)

These are just a handful of passages that point to the bigger picture. Under the old covenant, God laid out everything for them. Everything was spelled out. Certain people were born to do certain jobs. Every requirement that God had was spelled out for his people.

But did it work? No. No it didn’t.

So now we have answers to our questions, but they are not necessarily the answers we want.

What is my purpose in life? You purpose is to fear God and keep his commandments.

What does God expect from me? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with him.

Seriously, what am I supposed to do with my life? You are supposed to love God and love your neighbor.

What has God created me to do? You are created to do the good works that God has already prepared.

But what about my college major and future career? You can choose whatever you want as long as you do it in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God for the opportunity. And when you land that job, remember that you are working for the Lord and not for man.

The journey of Ecclesiastes is very true to life. Qohelet goes on a wild ride, chasing after women and sex and drugs and parties. He goes off on business ventures, undertakes massive building projects, and gathers wealth beyond belief. And yet nothing gives him the fulfillment he is looking for. In the end Qohelet boils life down to three simple words: Remember Your Creator.

The narrator picks up at the end and spells out a little bit of how to go about remembering our creator. He says, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” It’s very similar to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

You want to know God’s will for you? His will is that you live your life above the sun. Ecclesiastes is a book about life under the sun. Life under the sun is vain, meaningless, a chasing after the wind. But when our focus shifts from the things of this world to the things of God, then we begin to live life above the sun.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2)

I don’t really think God cares what college you attend, what major you choose, what career you pursue, or what man/woman you marry. Because if you are living life under the sun, then each of those choices will be the wrong one. But if you are living life above the sun (with your heart seeking God’s kingdom, with your mind set on things above, loving God and others, fearing God and keeping his commandments), then each of those choices will be the right one.

Are you living your life under the sun or above the sun?

Take a couple minutes to watch this clip. It’s from the 1999 movie She’s All That, starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachel Leigh Cook.

It may not be your Oscar-caliber film, but this one scene has stuck with me. For one, I loved playing hacky sack in high school. (Still do, actually. Whenever I’m at a youth event and see a group of guys circle up, I like to join in and be that cool “old” guy who can still pull off all the tricks.) I also like that scene because of the message. “Eventually, it has to drop.”

Why do bad things happen? Because eventually, it has to drop. This isn’t heaven yet. No matter how good we are at managing this hevel life, eventually the mist, the breath, the wind escapes our grasp.

Read what Qohelet has to tell us at the end of Ecclesiastes:

Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.
Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7)

Eventually, it has to drop. He paints a very gloom picture of what it looks like when, not if, it happens. The sun grows dim. The thriving city becomes a ghost town. Hope is lost. The streets are empty. People are growing old and senile. This sounds very much like a description of any of dozens of movies set in post-apocalyptic worlds. Think The Road or The Book of Eli.


Society is crumbling. The economy is crashing. The landscape is shifting. Creation itself if beginning to fall apart at the seams. Remember God before these things come.

Remember Him before you kick the bucket. Before you shuffle off this mortal coil. Before you push up daisies. Before (insert death euphemism here). Because eventually, it has to drop.

I find it fascinating that throughout most of the book, death is seen as an enemy, something to be feared, something to be avoided at all costs. Death sucks the meaning out of life. Death is what makes all of our pursuits vain and futile. Death is what laughs in the face of wisdom. Death is the character in the movie that you love to hate.

But not here. Not at the end. Qohelet has come to accept the reality of death. It’s no longer something to be avoided. Rather, it becomes the end of this hevel life and the beginning of life with God. Dust returns to dust, but the spirit returns to God. So remember Him.

Apart from God there is no way to come to grips with death. Without God, then life is indeed hopeless, meaningless, futile, vain, etc. Money, sex, power, followers, parties, and success – these things become our gods. But as we see in the verses above, money, power, pleasures, and even sex will not last forever. So what are you gonna do about it?

Because eventually, it has to drop.

What this tells me is that if I am one of God’s people, one of His children, then I don’t have to be afraid of death. If I belong to the giver of life, then what can death do to me? If I am devoted to the Creator of the universe, then when creation begins to deteriorate, I know who’s in charge.

Remember Him now.

Because eventually, it has to drop.