Enjoy Yourself

Someone published this song many years ago: Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. The years go by, and quicker than a wink, Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. This simple song emphasizes two great truths. I. Life is VERY SHORT AT BEST. The Bible is full of metaphors and similes to emphasize this obvious truth. Here are only a few. a. Life is a breath. Job says: "Remember that my life is a BREATH." Job 7:7. At that point in his life, Job was clearly not earlier than 60 years of age. b. Life is a cloud. Job says: "As the CLOUD fades and vanishes, so that who go down to Sheol [the grave] do not come up." Job 7:9. c. Life is a flower or grassthat withers. Job says: "A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble, comes up like a FLOWER and WITHERS." Job 14:1-2a. Similarly, Psalm 90:5b-6 says: The life of a human being is "like GRASS that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers." d. Life is a shadow. Job says: "A mortal flees like a SHADOW and does not last." Job 14:2b. e. Life is yesterday. Psalm 90:4 says: "A thousand years in your sight are like YESTERDAY when it is past." f. Life is a sigh. Psalm 90:9b says: "our days come to an end like a SIGH." One could easily add numerous metaphors and similes and descriptions of the brevity of human life. None of us lives very long on planet earth at all. II. How then should we live? Psalm 90:12 gives this advice: "So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart." In the Wisdom Literature, "wisdom" IS or MEANS "the FEAR OF GOD." See Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; Job 28:28. a. God has emptied his silos of love through numerous gifts to human beings. These are simple gifts and blessings which every person on earth can and should receive. The book of Ecclesiastes enumerates these simple gifts: eating good food, drinking good liquids, enjoying one's spouse, hard honest work, trusting God in every phases of life. Here are only a few lines. b. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26a: "There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God; for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy." c. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13: "I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover, it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take please in all their toil." d. Ecclesiastes 9:7-10: "God, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going." God has heaped great gifts and blessings on all of us. He is pleased when we enjoy these gifts and blessings and through this worship and glory our only creator, protector, lord, king, and redeemer. Share YOUR thoughts and belief and shortcomings and concepts and reversals with others. Let me hear from YOU. John Willis