Reluctant Retiree

Some people resist change no matter what benefit the change may bring. At the other extreme are people who embrace change without considering the consequences. And still others say that people cannot change, probably to protect themselves from people who want them to change. God certainly believes that people can change, or rather, be changed.

Revelation 1:5-6 says, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” By His blood, Jesus transforms believers from slaves of sin into priests and royalty. Slaves can do only what their masters tell them to do. So the unbelievers only do what sin lures them to do. However, believers have been freed unto righteousness and royal blessings. Believers enjoy the presence and glory of the King.

I have always loved being near bodies of water. I grew up in Southern California and went to the beach often. When I look at the ocean, lakes, or rivers, a certain peace comes over my soul. Just the vision of the water and the sounds of the waves or rushing water soothes me in some way. I tend to forget about my struggles and focus on my Heavenly Father’s goodness and greatness.

Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Life occasionally brings us hard times. But God promises the believer that Jesus will lead us through the hard times and give us renewed strength and energy. Ultimately, Jesus will wipe away every tear caused by those hard times and the hard times and tears will no longer be remembered. Living water will replace the tears with the presence and majesty of our God.

Recently I have seen pictures of some of the most unique buildings in the world. These architects have stretched their imaginations to design oddly shaped and distinctly placed buildings. I can’t say that I agree with all of their designs but they have certainly made their mark. The question is will their distinction endure or will the functionality and attraction of these buildings become quickly obsolete?

Jude 20-21 says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”

God designed us to build things of eternal value. We do that by increasing in the love of God and by looking forward to displays of His mercy. Growing in godliness by the power of the Holy Spirit and building God’s kingdom bears fruit of eternal value. We can do the same thing with our lives. We may spend a lot of time and effort on things we enjoy or think are important, only to find out later that we may have wasted our time. That is sad and disappointing.

Sometimes we speak of people or events as being “out of control”. We use this phrase to describe someone or something that has seemingly lost the ability to properly govern its activities.

Psalm 50:1 says, “The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.” Every moment of every day, in every way, God has authority and power over everything. He never sleeps nor slumbers. He is always working. He is rich in mercy and full of grace. Therefore, He is completely trustworthy.

My wife has much more confidence than I when it comes to speaking to others. I am often clumsy in speech and can make the ensuing conversation awkward. My wife, on the other hand, can speak to others with ease and even make requests that I would never have the boldness to make. So when we need a business to do something for us, it is always better if my wife does the talking.

I John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

The believer in Jesus Christ can have confidence in coming before God’s throne in prayer. This confidence is born in the knowledge of God’s love and grace. We are convinced that He listens to our prayers and acts upon them. In fact, the Bible declares that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, actually leads us to God’s throne in prayer and is our Advocate and Intercessor. When God’s Son speaks, the Father listens.

I have spent most of my life trying to fit in with those around me. Recently, I have come to the conclusion that this objective is futile. I am hopelessly different than others. But that is more than just Okay. The Bible tells me that I am fearfully and wonderfully created by God by His design and for His purposes. The only person that I need to fit in with is God Himself.

Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Noah stood out from those around him and not just by building a huge boat. God considered Noah to be righteous, while at the same time God condemned the world around him for being evil in their every thought. Noah was willing to endure the ridicule of the world, to receive the favor of God, thereby saving his whole family from the coming flood.We can’t make a positive difference in the world without being positively different from the world.

We must not be concerned with fitting in with the world, but rather standing out for Jesus Christ. Then, we too will receive the rewards God has in store for us. The world around us wants us to conform to their thinking and condemns us whenever we deviate from their norms. But standing out for the truth reaps greater benefits and protects ourselves and our households from evil.