Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.
These verses are advice to remember God while we're young – or at least, before we are so old and frail that we don't enjoy life and are no longer active. They also contain some of the most beautiful poetry in the Old Testament, with lovely – though very sombre – images of fading and dying. The poetry is lost in the Good News translation, which prioritises clarity, so you might want to try a different version.
The theme of these verses is one that appears elsewhere in Ecclesiastes, though nowhere else so forcefully: do what you can when you can, because a time will come when you can't. We all regret things we've done or left undone, but its a great sadness when someone reaches the end of their life with the sense that they have wasted it. It's this that leads the Preacher to cry, 'It's all useless' or 'meaningless' (verse 8). It's not a statement of fact, but a warning – we're created to serve God, not just to please ourselves or drift along through life aimlessly.
In this light, we might also want to think about the beauty of these lines. The Preacher was consciously creating something of enduring value, and must have been pleased with his work; so he didn't think he was doing something useless or meaningless. Our creative gifts, like everything else, come to us from God.
God, help me to value my time on this earth, and to use it for your glory.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
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