REMEMBER YOUR GOD IN THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH Ecclesiastes 12: 1, 6 Yout is the time of life when one

is young, but often means the time between childhood and adulthood. Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth varies. Often youth refers specifically to the time of life that is neither childhood nor adulthood but rather somewhere in between. Youth also identifies a particular mindset of attitude, as in "He is very youthful". In actual sense, an individual's maturity may not correspond to their age, as immature individuals can exist at all ages. I loo ed at youth not based on the age brac et but based on the state of mind, a temper of the will, a !uality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, appetite for adventure over the life of ease. It is a well nown fact that there are many adults who never grow up, and many children grow up far too soon. "here are children who dictate what goes on in the home, and adults who are loo ing in all the wrong places for ways to hold on to their youth. Pope John Paul II viewed it as follows: What is youth? It is not only a period of life that corresponds to a certain number of years, it is also a time given by Providence to every person and given to him as a responsibility. During that time he searches, li e the young man in the !ospel "# $%:$% & ''(, who searches not only for the meaning of life but also for a concrete way to go about living his life. Pope John Paul II further points out that prior generations such as his had established reference points in their culture, ac nowledgment of moral norms, the e)istence of !od, the parables and teaching of the !ospel . "he period of #outh at times can be so frustrating. It is that period when one is hardly old enough to be $on his own,% and yet he is feeling a sense of independence. &eople become so weird at this stage because they are attempting to find some sense of identity. "he 'criptures represent $youth% as a time both of danger and responsibility (challenges). I! te"#s o$ %a!&e", *od said in (*en +,-.b / --) for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth0 neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done. -- 1hile the earth remained, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. &aul when inspired by the Holy 'pirit admonished "imothy to $flee from youthful lusts% ("im. -,--). "his statements shows that there are lusts that are associated to the youth. I! te"#s o$ "es'o!si(ilit), the 2reator also recogni3es the value of youth to the divine cause. #oungsters li e we all now, have energy, they are daring, their hearts are filled with visions of the future, indeed0 they can be a most valuable component in the service of 4ehovah. "hat is more reason why "he scripture we read from 5ccl .-,. is calling us to remember our creator in the days, we are full of energy and filled with vision. 'olomon, who wasted much of his life in folly, perhaps thought better of the matter in his declining days. He contended, $6emember now your 2reator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, I have no pleasure in them% (5ccl. .-,.). 7gain, &aul would say to "imothy, $8et no man despise your youth0 but you be an example to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity% (. "im. 9,.-).

"he youths are wonderful resource in the ingdom of heaven. "he fact is, the :ible is replete with examples of how *od has used younger people in some of the most vital roles in the unfolding of his marvelous plan of redemption. 8et;s reflect upon some stri ing examples that demonstrate *od;s confidence in youth but before then, let us loo at some characteristics of #outhful age. *HARA*TERISTI*S OF YOUTHFU+ AGE It is an age of vibrancy. 7 time of adventure 7 time of fearfulness and in!uisitiveness 7 moment of becoming spiritually aggressiveness (you want things to change) 7bility to endure and resist difficulty and<evil ( this is more reason why 4eremiah said in 8amentation =, -> $it is for a man that he bear the in his youth% #o e simply means rough treatment or something that restricts your freedom and ma es your life very difficult. 7n age of productivity 7ge of laying of foundation 7 time of orienting you life towards doing exploits SOME STRI,ING E-AM.+ES THAT DEMONSTRATE GOD/S *ONFIDEN*E IN YOUTH 0OSE.H 4oseph is truly one of the sterling characters of the Old "estament era. He was a favorite of his father, which incited the passionate envy of his brothers. 7ccordingly, these hateful siblings sold 4oseph to a caravan of Ishmaelite who transported him down to 5gypt, where he was later bought by an 5gyptian officer named &otiphar (*en =>). One of the stunning features of the account is the fact that 4oseph was only seventeen years of age (*en. =>,-). 7 young lad, in a strange land, separated from his people and his center of religious strength ? yet faithful to his *od. 7s we all now that during the course of his duties in &otiphar;s house, &otiphar;s evil wife cast longing eyes towards him. 'he attempted to seduce him, but he, with firm resolve, resisted, insisting, There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Gen !":"# 7s the story subse!uently unfolds, we learn that 4oseph was being used by 4ehovah as a providential instrument for the preservation of the Hebrew nation. 4oseph would later recogni3e, God did send me $here% to preser&e 'ife( (Gen )*:*# +gain, at the end of his 'ife, to his brothers he said: You meant e&i' against me; but God meant it for good , to sa&e many 'i&es( (*-:.-# 7ll of this was done, of course, in view the 8ord;s use of the Hebrew nation as an instrument in the divine plan which resulted in the incarnation of 2hrist. "hin about it. *od trusted a teenager to accomplish such a vital role. MIRIAM 7s the Hebrew people multiplied in the land of 5gypt, they were perceived as a threat to the stability of that nation. Hence the order was given that Israelite male babies were to be thrown into the @ile. 1hen Aoses was born, his parents hid him for three months0 then, they placed him in a small vessel fashioned from the papyrus plant, which they deposited by the river;s edge, committing their precious baby to the care of 4ehovah. In the meantime, Aoses; older sister, who is estimated to be about ten or twelve at that time (Ac2lintoc , Bol. IB, ==C), was posted some distance away, eeping watch. Dinally Airiam obtained 4ochebed, Aoses; own mother, as a nurse for the child. Oh, the ways of providence. /ear my point The instrument to be emp'oyed for the con&eyance of the 0a&ior of the entire future of the /ebrew nation and the wor'd was entrusted to a young gir' (1ary# Does this say something about how !od values youth? *es I now it does.

MOTHER MARY One can only imagine how sweet the beloved Aary of @a3areth must have been, as evidenced by the fact that of all women in Israel, she was chosen to be the mother of our 8ord. 'omething of her spiritual depth is seen in the psalm she uttered when greeted by 5li3abeth, when she visited her in the hill country of 4udah. "he song is often called the $Aagnificent%. "he passage begins with, $Ay soul magnifies Epresent /continuouslyF the 8ord, and my spirit reGoices in *od my 'aviour% (8 . .,9H). In one of his boo s, Harry 6immer noted that this little song, often verses in the 5nglish :ible, draws from twenty/three separate passages in the Old "estament (..+). 1hat a commentary on how her precious mind was filled with the word of *odI Here is a fact that ma es this even more astounding. In the 4ewish culture, a girl was normally married by the age of twelve or thirteen. &rior to thirteen, a maiden might be betrothed to a man by her parents0 at thirteen, she was of the legal age to ma e her own choice (A;2lintoc , Bol. B, >>9/ >J). It is entirely possible, therefore, that when Aary gave birth to the 'avior of the world that she was in her early teens. Does this not spea volumes about how *od trusts spiritually minded youthK DA1ID "he story of David, who became Israel;s ing, is too well/ nown to need elaboration. 1hat a breathta ing episode L the soldiers of Israel on one side of the valley of 5lah, the defiant &hilistine champion on the other. Aorning and evening for forty days, *oliath had challenged Israel to combat, but they were fro3en in fear (. 'am. .>,.C/.H). 1hen David arrived on the scene he was challenged by the timidity of his Hebrew insmen and volunteered to ta e on the infidel. :ut he was disdained as a mere $youth% L initially by ing 'aul himself, and then by *oliath (. 'am. .>,==,9-). @ever mind0 *od was with this $youth,% who may have been about twenty/two or so at the time (2lar e, -H9). *oliath was slain and the &hilistine force was routed. 5dersheim called this victory $the turning point in the history of the theocracy% (+M). 0OSIAH 4osiah was but a boy of eight (+) when he came to the throne. 7t the age of sixteen, he began to $see % 4ehovah, and by the time he turned twenty, he initiated a campaign to purge the southern ingdom of its idolatry (- 2hron. =9,./=). He was the noblest ing to reign in the territory of 4udah 'cripture says there was no ruler of his calibre, neither before nor after him, who sought the 8ord with $all his heart% as he did (- Ngs. -=,-J). 1hen 4osiah was twenty/six, he arranged for repairs on the temple. It was at this time that a tremendously significant event occurred. 7 copy of $the law of 4ehovah given by Aoses% was discovered in the temple (- 2hron. =9,.9). 1hen the religious and moral message of the sacred document was studied, and the spiritual fabric of the nation was seen to stand in such glaring contrast, a reformation was proclaimed. One of 4osiah;s important accomplishments was the restoration of the &assover, which had not been observed with care since the days of the Gudges (- Ngs. -=,-./-=). 'ince the &assover was designed to preview the death of 4esus (cf. . 2or. J,>), 4osiah was an important element in preparing the nation for the 'avior;s arrival. 1hat confidence 4ehovah had placed in a spiritual lad. 0EREMIAH 4eremiah, the great $weeping prophet,% is one of the more remar able characters of the Old "estament. He sought so desperately to bring rebellious 4udah bac into conformity with the law of *od. He began his ministry in the thirteenth year of 4osiah (H-H :.2.) and concluded his wor among his people when the :abylonian force destroyed the temple in J+H :.2. :ut he prophesied periodically even after the fall of the holy city.

It is possible that his preaching career spanned some sixty years or more (see 4ac son, >). "his suggests that 4eremiah was probably in his late teens when he was called of the 8ord to be his prophet to the wic ed nation. *od can use a youth of faithI TIMOTHY "here was no companion closer to the great apostle &aul than his young friend "imothy. 1hen the apostle wrote to the church in &hilippi, the congregation for whom he had the greatest affection, he pledged to send "imothy to assist them. He paid the lad the highest compliment when he told the &hilippian saints that $I have no man li e/minded, who will care truly for #our state% (&hil. -,-C). Drom time to time, during &aul;s missionary endeavors, "imothy was at his side. 7nd during those dar hours as *od;s apostle awaited execution, he longed for the friendship of "imothy. In his final epistle, &aul urged, $*ive diligence to come to me shortly% (- "im. 9,M). 1hat a compliment to this young 2hristian. 2an one be proud of you in such a manner. 7pparently &aul converted "imothy on his first missionary campaign when in 8ystra (7cts .9,+ff0 cf. . 2or 9,.>0 . "im. .,-). 1hen the apostle passed through the region a second time (.H,.ff), he selected "imothy to accompany him. 'ince "imothy was still regarded as a $youth% when &aul wrote his first letter to him (. "im. 9,.-), which was some fourteen years after the lad Goined the apostle on that preaching tour, it is believed that he was eighteen to twenty when he started wor ing with &aul. Re#e#(e" No2 You" *"eato" i! t e Da)s o$ You" Yout 3 3 3 1hen you are young, there is a tendency to thin that you have many years left to live, so you can enGoy some worldly pleasures now and come bac to *od later. "he wisest man who ever lived has something to say about this, $6emember now your 2reator in the days of your youth . . . .% 5cclesiastes .-,.. 1hen you are young, is the best time to commit your life to the 8ord. 1hyK Dirst of all, you can devote more of your life to *od;s service. 'econd, when you are young, you are not yet set in habits, and it is easier to be molded for use in *od;s service. "hird, if you go out into the world now that you are young, it is not going to be easy to come bac and commit your life to the 8ord. In fact, it will be much harder. #ou will have formed bad habits ? things you have seen and listened to that cannot be erased from your mind ? with which to battle, that you would not have had, had you not strayed from the 8ord. Dourth, everyone has influence upon others. If you choose not to live for 2hrist, others, by your example, may choose not to live for Him either.

Obviously, 4esus wants the service of those who have the dew of youth upon them. He wants them to be heirs of immortality because they grow up into a noble manhood and womanhood, notwithstanding the moral pollutions that corrupts so many of the youth at an early age. "here is no happiness or safety but in the fear of the 8ord. #oung friends, morning and evening let your prayers go up from unfeigned lips that the Holy 'pirit may ta e possession of your hearts and eep you from the seductive influences of the world. 1or for 4esus0 stand up for 4esus0 and he will stand up for you in the day of *od;s vengeance.% But t e"e a"e #a!) '"ecious '"o#ises o! "eco"% $o" t ose 2 o see4 t ei" Sa5iou" ea"l)3 3 3 O6emember now thy 2reator in the days of thy youth. "he days of your youth is regarded as the early day in your life ( wor often starts by +am and the sun is up the s y, if one is found sleeping at that time, people will as him<her what is wrong). E&roverbs +,.>0 9,.+.F% I 'o&e them that 'o&e me; and they that see me early shall find me.; "hey will find that the Opath of the Gust is as a shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day0; and at the last, the 4udge of all the earth will give every one according to his wor s. Daniel was another person who committed his life to the 8ord when he was young. He was removed from his family at a young age and ta en to the court of the greatest

monarch of that time. "he greatest wealth, fame, and temptations were all around him, and yet, because of his commitment to *od, he did not fall for the temptations. *od honoured Daniel and his friends for their faithfulness to Him by giving them understanding greater than all others of :abylon. BENEFITS OF REMEMBERING GOD IN THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH &eace in your Heart, John $+: ', 2eace I 'ea&e with you, my peace I gi&e unto you: not as the wor'd gi&eth, gi&e I unto you 3et not your heart be troub'ed, neither 'et it be afraid( It will help you to reali3e your destiny John $': -. & -/a Then 4esus said unto them, Yet a 'itt'e whi'e is the 'ight with you 5a'k whi'e ye ha&e the 'ight, 'est darkness come upon you: for he that wa'keth in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth 5hi'e ye ha&e 'ight, be'ie&e in the 'ight, that ye may be the chi'dren of 'ight It will give speed to your vision John $$: 0 & $1 4esus answered, +re there not twe'&e hours in the day? If any man wa'k in the day, he stumb'eth not, because he seeth the 'ight of this wor'd 6ut if a man wa'k in the night, he stumb'eth, because there is no 'ight in him( John 0: + & . I must work the works of him that sent me, whi'e it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work +s 'ong as I am in the wor'd, I am the 'ight of the wor'd( It will help you to find favour in *od;s sight, John .:'/ 2 ', 7or as the 7ather hath 'ife in himse'f; so hath he gi&en to the 0on to ha&e 'ife in himse'f; +nd has gi&en him authority to e8ecute 9udgment a'so, because he is the 0on of man $ John .: $$ & $' +nd this is the record, that God hath gi&en to us eterna' 'ife, and this 'ife is in his 0on /e that hath the 0on hath 'ife; and he that hath not the 0on of God hath not 'ife #ou will preserve the destiny of your generation and your generations unborn, Psalm ,$:$/2 $%. 3I wi'' go in the strength of the 3ord G:;; I wi'' make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours on'y : God, You ha&e taught me from my youth; +nd to this day I dec'are Your wondrous works <ow a'so when I am o'd and grey=headed, : God, do not forsake me, >nti' I dec'are Your strength to this generation, Your power to e&eryone who is to come( #ou will reali3e and accomplish *od;s purpose in your life.