My favorite Old Testament passage

[Josh]

I feel oddly compelled to share my favorite passage from the Old Testament. It is, I think, something we cannot be reminded of enough.

Ecclesiastes 12

1 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"-
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 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;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when men rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
5 when men are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags himself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then man goes to his eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.

6 Remember him-before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.
"Everything is meaningless!"



The Conclusion of the Matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails-given by one Shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

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

[beautifulmess]

Good choice. Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books.  

[BigBird]

[Rachel]

Good passage indeed.

6 Remember him-before the silver cord is severed,

In a poem by Fanny Crosby she refers to "Someday the silver cord shall break" and I had always wondered what that meant until I read this, so thanks.
 

[Josh]

David, you raise some excellent questions. Here we get into some pretty foggy, complicated theological territory... I'll have to give this one some thought.

[Guest]

8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.
"Everything is meaningless!"

I find this particularly true.

Josh, that was pretty funny! I didn't even think you knew who I was; so that took me a moment to process. Very funny. "Hey, Ash" not many CAKers know to call me that. It gave me a nice laugh.

[ash]

8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.
"Everything is meaningless!"
 


I find this particularly true.

Josh, that was pretty funny! I didn't even think you knew who I was; so that took me a moment to process. Very funny. "Hey, Ash" not many CAKers know to call me that. It gave me a nice laugh.

That was me btw...

[Josh]

Josh, that was pretty funny! I didn't even think you knew who I was; so that took me a moment to process. Very funny. "Hey, Ash" not many CAKers know to call me that. It gave me a nice laugh.

Heh... yeah, I got to thinking about how I see you every day and yet I've never spoken to you offline, so I thought I'd say hello.

[ash]

it regestered 5 seconds afterward... witty/thinking person, SN name, Ohhh...lol