Reluctant Retiree

I have always been confused by the use of terms like partly sunny and partly cloudy. They seem to describe the same weather conditions to me. I looked it up and partly sunny means that the weather is moving from clouds and/or rain toward sunshine, while partly cloudy means the opposite conditions are occuring, moving from sunshine to clouds and/or rain. The weather person also use terms like mostly sunny and mostly cloudy which refer to how many clouds there will be.

I John 1:5 says, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” We cannot use the terms partly or mostly when referring to God’s light. He is completely, wholely, and always fully light. No darkness has ever been in Him and darkness will never become a part of Him. Similarly, we cannot walk partially in darkness or sin and still claim to know God and walk with Him. We must remove ourselves completely from sin and walk in His marvelous light. We must disengage ourselves from the sins that have a hold on us by the power of God’s Spirit and through the redemption of Jesus. Then we can walk in the light of God.

During every election year, the candidates make many promises. When elected they often fail to fulfill their promises for many reasons. Advertising makes many promises as well. Some are outrageous and cannot be fulfilled and others are just misleading. Friends and family often make promises to us, but cannot, or will not choose to, fulfill their promises. Broken promises in all areas of our lives are common.

II Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The Bible is full of God’s promises. Some are for all people, but many are just for those who believe in Him. We should search God’s Word for His promises and trust Him to fulfill each one for us. He has never failed to fulfill a promise and He never will.

It has been cloudy all day. Everytime I look up I see clouds of various shades and shapes. But as much as I want to, I do not yet see any extraordinary events in the clouds. But someday, you and I will, whether we believe it or not.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18 says, “And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Jesus was pretty explicit when He described the end times. In these verses, Paul recounts Jesus’ description. When Jesus Christ returns to earth, everyone will see Him and will bow down in worship and confess that He is Lord of all. Those who have believed in Jesus as Savior and Lord will rise from the earth into the clouds to meet Jesus. Then we will spend eternity with Him in a place called the New Earth and New Heaven. These words should encourage the believer because our future is secure. But the same words should terrify the one who has not believed because the future is also secure for them. They will spend eternity in torment apart from the Lord. The choice is yours to make today.

We are all built the same in many ways. Since we were small children, we always wanted the thing that our parents, or others in authority, told us that we couldn’t have. As we walked through a store, we wanted something that our parents had already said no to. We wanted the toy that somebody else was playing with. We wanted to do what our parents told us not to. And we are still like that in adulthood. We want what is forbidden for us.

Genesis 2:16-17 says, “But the Lord God gave him this warning: ‘You may freely eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die.'” God had prepared a lush garden with all the enjoyments that Adam and Eve could want. They could eat any fruit as often as they liked. But He forbid them from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was not being overbearing or mean in this restriction, but rather He was protecting them from dire consequences, that is, death.

Freedom comes to us when we trust in God’s authority. He is worthy of this trust as He has all knowledge and wisdom. In His wisdom, He can protect us from the consequences of poor choices. In His goodness and love, He wants to give us the best while keeping us from trouble. In His mercy, He makes a way for us to enjoy the best that He has to offer. Failure to trust in God’s authority leads us down an often terrifying path. Choose the path of trust in God’s authority.

“For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” Psalm 86:5

This single verse describes three attributes of God. He is good. He is forgiving. And He abounds in steadfast love. These three characteristics of God are sufficient causes for us to fully trust Him with everything.

God is good. He is good all the time. And He is good to all people. His goodness follows the believer all the days of his/her life. He bestows on the believer every blessing in the heavenly places, and every good and perfect gift comes from Him.

God is forgiving. He is rich in mercy and eagerly desires to display His mercy. He gave His one and only Son to save all people from wrath against sin, by providing the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins.

God abounds in steadfast love to all who call upon Him. Those who have trusted in God are assured of His continual and overwhelming love. His love never diminishes and never ends.