Time in our lives is given some perspective today, from the sunny days of youth to the dark days of old

Ecc 11:7  Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

Ecc 11:8  So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

That is a rather harrowing reality, we tend not to really enjoy something until it is taken from us, whether it is a friendship, or our health.  At the age of 16, none of us think, wow it is really easy to bend over and tie my shoe.  Then after middle age, that stuff starts getting harder, as funny as it might sound, putting pants on in the morning can be quite a challenge when there are all kinds of aches and pains to overcome.  

The Word today challenges us to enjoy the days of our youth, and not take our health and the other privileges of youth for granted, because one day they’ll be gone, like everything else….a pretty dim world view from Solomon, but we also keep in mind that Solomon wrote most of this from a worldly perspective, not really taking into account that there is a life after this one.  

As Christians, we must keep in mind that the pleasures and the pains of this life are going to come and go, just like we will.  Many centuries, lives and kingdoms have come and gone since Solomon wrote this, most of which are forgotten…but the one thing that is eternal and gives us a permanent assurance is God’s Kingdom, and the way there is through His Son Christ Jesus.