Remember that death comes

Eccles. 12:6-8

6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

• Why is it wise to remember your Creator before
  - your lamp holding the light of life is crushed
  - you can no longer draw the water of life
  - your body returns to dust
  - your spirit returns to God
  
• Why does Solomon consider life under the sun as vanity and meaningless?
  
• How does realizing that you were created by God help you accept life under the sun?
  
• How would you live if you knew that you were merely a product of evolution?
  
• How would you live if you knew that there was no God?
  
• In what ways can you improve how you remember your Creator as your creator

A view of old age

Eccles. 12:1-5

12:1 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”; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, [1] and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—

Footnotes
[1] 12:5 Or is a burden

• Why would God's role as Creator be the focus in a complaint about old age?
  
• Why would it be important to remember God as Creator while a person is young?
  
• Considering the impact of age on physical abilities, why might a person complain against God?
  
• What will your view of God be when ...
  - your sight grows dim (the sun, light, moon, and stars darken)
  - you get over one trouble to find another behind it (clouds return after rain)
  - your body tremors and shakes uncontrollably (keepers of house tremble)
  - your body will not let you stand up straight (the strong are bent)
  - you lose your teeth (grinders stop because they are few)
  - everything looks blurry to you (windows grow dim)
  - you won't eat from loss of appetite or poor digestion (doors shut, grinding low)
  - you cannot hear and enjoy music (daughters of song sing softly)
  - you are afraid of heights and have balance problems (afraid of high places)
  - you cannot defend yourself (afraid of terrors on the road)
  - your hair turns white (almond tree blossoms)
  - your strength is weak and you always move slowly (grasshopper drags himself)
  - your sexual desires are gone
  - you die

How do you look at life now?

How will you look at life later?