During my youth Dad would occasionally drive us from
our home in northeastern Massachusetts to various parts of New Hampshire. Sometimes
it was to visit friends, and it was on one of those visits that I discovered
the delights of riding a snowmobile. On another I discovered why the 1970’s
three-wheeled Honda ATV’s were destined to disappear. They were fairly
unstable, and it didn’t take too long before I found myself flying through the
air after running one into a pine tree. I was horrified when I saw that the
bright red fender was dented and pushed up against the front tire. I mustered
enough strength to bend it back, and the ATV was again drivable. I went to our
friends and confessed the error of my ways, and they promptly forgave me.
Less frequently we would drive to the Granite
State’s White Mountains. During a good fall they are anything but white: On
bright days, and from the right angles, all those sugar maples looked like they
were on fire. I still miss walking through lanes flanked on both sides by
yellow and gold, and most of all by flaming red and orange maples. These
mountains are beautiful at other times of the year, too.
One morning in mid-May of 2007 Carla and the kids and
I started the climb up Mt. Willard. It was early enough in the year that it was
still pretty chilly, and we hiked through a little snow and ice on the way to
the summit. Water vapor had condensed into fog, droplets had formed on
evergreen needles, and some looked like jeweled frames wrapped around the
scenery. We had been told that we could see Crawford Notch from the summit. Crawford
Notch is a U-shaped valley with an appearance akin to that of a cardboard tube cut
in half lengthwise. We were in the right place, but the clouds draped over Willard’s
summit obscured the view. Suddenly a gap in the clouds appeared, and we were
surprised at how uniformly shaped the notch is. I had the presence of mind to
snap a couple photos, and then after a minute or two the view disappeared.
The author of Ecclesiastes indulged himself in
every material pleasure (see chapter 2:1-11) and concluded that there was no
value in it. He despaired that the fruits of a diligent life lived wisely may
end up in the hands of one who did no work for them (2:21). Whether wise or
foolish, ultimately a person will be forgotten (2:16). How many of us living
today will be remembered in 2,000 years? What is the value of a life forgotten?
What is the purpose of human existence? Why are you here?
At the end of the book the fog clears and the right
view comes into focus:
“…Fear God and keep his commandments;
for this is
the whole duty of man.
For God will
bring every deed into judgment,
with every
secret thing, whether good or evil.”
(Ecclesiastes
12:13-14 ESV)
Living life with this view gives it a richness that
is not otherwise possible. Do you know Christ? Personally? If you do, then you
won’t be forgotten:
“You did not choose me, but I
chose you and
appointed
you that you should go and bear fruit and
that your
fruit should abide….”
(John 15:16
ESV)
A life lived to accomplish God’s purposes produces
results that abide and stand the test of time, even into eternity. What do you
think when you have cancer and are staring at your own mortality? I think about
how God has enabled me to accomplish his purpose, and that brings comfort and
tranquility deep into my soul. This also produces joy.
I was shocked to learn that my friend and former
student Josiah Matthew died suddenly and unexpectedly from an apparent heart
attack on the same day that I began writing this post. Joe graduated from BJU
with a B.S. in chemistry in May of 2015, and he was a very capable student. At
the time of his death he was working on a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry at the University
at Buffalo (State University of New York). What do you think when a young
person with a promising career passes into eternity?
The writer of Ecclesiastes gives sage advice to every
person: “Remember also your Creator in
the days of your youth.” (12:1 ESV) Joe followed this advice. As one of his
fellow graduate students (also a BJU chemistry graduate) said, “I guess, if
nothing else, this is a reminder that we don’t know how long we will be alive,
and we must use our time wisely to bring glory to God. I know Josiah did just
that.” That’s exactly right. Joe’s life was not wasted—it was spent using his
giftedness to accomplish things pleasing to his creator, and his fruit will not
spoil.
Dr. Alfred B. Smith, or simply Al to those that
knew him, was a noted gospel songwriter, lecturer, and soloist (http://livinghymns.org/bio.htm). In the early 1940’s he
wrote and published one of the shortest gospel hymns that I’m aware of,
entitled With Eternity’s Values in View.
The full lyrics are reproduced here from the 30th Anniversary
Edition of Living Hymns (with the
permission of Al Smith Ministries):
With
eternity’s values in view, Lord, With eternity’s values in view;
May I do each day’s work for Jesus, With eternity’s values in view.
This is the right view.
