Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “ I have no pleasure in them”: Ecclesiastes 12:1
The moment I read this text I come to a conclusion and a concern. The conclusion is never underestimate the power of exposing youth to the Word of God. They may disappoint, rebel, or act bored. However, the day some type of testing (even a tragedy) happens the Holy Spirit will activate the Word that has been placed in the mind. During my years in the pastorate, I hired teenagers to drive me so I could make daily hospital calls and not have to walk great distances. One teen in particular stands out. Everyday when I got in the car I turned on Donald Grey Barnhouse teaching Romans. This teen graduated High school and I didn’t see him for several years. Then we crossed paths. He told a story very similar to the testimony of Ian because when he hit bottom he REMEMBERED those days in the car. He came to saving faith.
I also have a concern which is based on our text – “the evil days.” Only the Holy Spirit is a match for those days as 1 John 4:4 teaches:
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Parents – Pastors – Youth Leaders, attention! Make sure that teenagers have saving faith. I often hear comments like, “Well, I’ve always been a Christian” or “I was brought up in a Christian home.” That’s good, but when did John 16:8 happen?
“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”
There is no genuine conversion without conviction! You see, it is possible to have a label on an empty bottle.
You’ve read Ian’s testimony (see below), we’ve looked at Ecclesiastes 12:1, now make sure saving faith is present! The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life and must be lived by supernatural methods. It all starts with the miracle of John 3:7:
“Marvel not that I said to you that you must be born again.”
Application
In view of Ecclesiastes 12:1 if you have a teenager or young adult in rebellion, pray this prayer:
“God, do whatever you have to do to reach them.”
A teenager on Cape Cod died in Iraq on August 14, 2008. He had been in extreme rebellion. It took a deployment in Iraq to reach him!
Parents – don’t sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate. Learn from Ian’s testimony and Ecclesiastes 12:1
The Testimony of Ian Waaramaa
It began at a 5 on 5 basketball tournament in Connecticut. The tournament was a Christian outreach. In the middle of the tournament, a man got on the microphone in the middle of the court. He started to speak about God, and I remember thinking to myself, “What am I doing here. I don’t deserve to be here.” And I began to ponder about my past, thinking about the car accident I was in – Four buddies in the back seat, I’m in the front passenger seat, and my buddy Brad driving. We were completely wasted, driving drunk on the golf course. I remembered how we got back on the main road and we crashed into a telephone pole. I quickly ran from the scene, afraid, because I had just gotten off probation. My buddy Brad was seriously injured. We all just ran.
While I was thinking about this vivid memory while sitting and listening at the basketball tourney, the man said there might have been a traumatic event like a car accident that really hurt you. I then thought, “Wow, what a strange coincidence.”God truly does work in mysterious ways. After that, I wanted to know more, so I signed up for a church softball team at a church in Hyannis, and I started attending church. I believe I truly accepted the Lord four weeks into going to church. God has been getting my attention ever since. I pray that my testimony will in some way advance the Kingdom of God.