Reluctant Retiree

Every business that I ever worked for had a missions statement. The statement described what the end goal of the business was and how they were going to achieve it. It was designed to inspire workers and put us all on the same page in what we were doing as a company.

I Corinthians 3:9 says, “For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field. God’s building.” Paul makes this proclamation on behalf of the church of Jesus Christ. It is a form of mission statement for the church. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are working together to make His field produce good fruit and build His household so that it is strong and steadfast.

I have worn hearing aids for more than a decade. They help quite a bit but have their limitations. I still don’t hear voices well when I am with a group of people or there is background noise. I also cannot always discern where a noise is coming from. I still like having the hearing aids and appreciate their benefits.

John 10:3 says, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” Jesus, as our Good Shepherd, calls us by our name and leads us. Be encouraged that God knows your name and is calling you. Let him lead you in all things. Tune your hearing into his voice and follow where He leads. You will be led in paths of righteousness and fruitfulness.

When we go to a retail store, we gather what we want and go to the registers. We give our money to the clerk and expect to get our purchases in return. Many people offer their services or hospitality with an expectation that they will receive something in return. If we are honest, we often do acts of kindness with some expectation of receiving something in return, if that return is only to feel good about ourselves.

Luke 6:32-33 says, “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. and if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” Jesus is calling us to a higher standard of love and conduct than what we can find elsewhere in the world. We are called to be different than the world. We are to love and to do good for even those who do not love us or do good for us. We are called to love and do good without expectation of anything in return, just like God loves us. Of course, this demonstrating this kind of unselfish love is impossible in and of ourselves. It is only when we have received God’s love and His love is flowing in and through us that we can love like He loves us.

Do you remember playing hide and seek as a child? Somebody was “it” and closed their eyes, while everyone else hid. When he or she was done counting, they would open their eyes and go look for everyone. As adults we often play a game of hide and seek with our emotions and even our actions. We tend not to mention the things that we have done wrong and our harmful emotions, hoping that no one ever finds out. But we are quick to speak of the things that we have done well.

I Timothy 6:24-25 says, “The sins of some men are conspicuous, but the sins of others appear later. So also the good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.” Whatever we do, it will not remain hidden forever. If we do good, our good works will be revealed. But if we are trying to hide our sins, God will reveal them in His time. God knows us better than we even know ourselves. He knows our innermost thoughts, good and bad. He knows the intricate workings of our bodies, as He formed each one of us. He knows our hearts, what we want others to know and those things that we try to hide deep within ourselves. The good news is that even with His deep knowledge of who we are, God loves us with an abundant and steadfast love. The question remains, will we choose to accept His love or reject His love and grace?

I have not come across anything that is truly indestructible. Everything that we have invented or created has inherent weaknesses that prove to be its downfall at some point. Even our imaginations cannot come up with something that is indestructible. Super heros all have their weaknesses along with their strengths. If opposition is directed against those weaknesses the super hero is in big trouble.

Hebrews 7:16 says of Jesus, “who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by he power of an indestructible life.” Jesus is our high priest bringing us close to God and advocating on our behalf. He did not inherit the title of high priest under religious law, but His life, death, and resurrection qualified Him before the Father to represent us forever. His life from eternity past, through his humanness, and into eternity future has always been and will always be truly indestructible. Therefore, He will remain our high priest and bring us near to the Father advocating for our forgiveness through His shed blood and interceding for our needs forever.