Reluctant Retiree

Many of us have our day planned before we wake up in the morning. Often the day is planned for us with kids activities, family gatherings, work meetings, and necessary errands. It is easy going through the day without thinking about whether we are doing the right or most beneficial things.

Psalm 143:8 says, “Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” When you rise up in the morning ask God to reveal His love for you and teach you what you should do in the new day. Following His plan, designed in love for you, will make your day the most fruitful and pleasing that it can be.

I have given up on the television weather reports. Despite the meteorologists best efforts and the science, weather forecasts are routinely inaccurate in some way. So I have long advocated and lived by the theory that the best weather forecast is obtained by simply going outside and observing the signs.

Matthew 16:4 says, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” Knowing how to interpret the weather is important. But observing what God is doing around you and the dangers of our culture are essential to living the life God designed for you.

For those of us who struggle with saying the right things in the right way, any conversational encounter can be daunting. The awkwardness is only magnified when the conversation is with someone we esteem or the subject matter is important. We want to express ourselves clearly and accurately, but the proper words and expressions are difficult to come by.

Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” When you pray, don’t worry about speaking the right words, because the Holy Spirit and Jesus Himself step in and make your requests to the Father. Just remember to speak from your heart and your spirit.

Jesus and the disciples had just completed a long day of ministry to thousands of people. Jesus sent the disciples across the sea while He went up the hill to pray. The disciples encountered a great storm and their lives were in danger. Jesus came to them walking on the water. They became even more afraid as they initially thought Jesus was a ghost. Matthew 14:27 records what happened next; “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Peter asked Jesus to let him also walk on the water. Everything was fine until Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the waves surrounding him. Peter began to sink and begged Jesus for help. Jesus lifted him up and calmed the seas around them.

Troubles will come our way, but we must keep our eyes on Jesus, so that He can calm the waves and lead us to the other side. We have a tendency to focus on our troubles, which sink us deeper into trouble. If we look to Jesus as our ever present help, we will find that He is faithful to calm the seas of trouble and take us through to the other side.

I admit that I often do not understand what is going on around me. I feel like I am often bewildered by life and circumstances. But I also believe that we all have moments when we are surprised by events and ask ourselves, “How did that happen?” Things occur to us and around us that we have no explanation for.

Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.” God has the explanation for the surprising things that happen. God has assigned angels to minister to us and to serve each of us believers. God releases them to help us when we pray. Even when we don’t pray, God will accomplish His plans and purposes for us through His sovereign power and ways. Instead of being surprised, we should actively pray and watch for God’s work in us and around us. Who knows? Perhaps, we will observe angels ministering to us.