Reluctant Retiree

When we seek out instruction on how to do something, we must pay attention to the information given to us. If we fail to listen and follow the instructions, we will most likely not succeed in what we are trying to learn to do.

Mark 4:24-25 says, “And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from he one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.'” We must listen to what God says in His Word and apply it to our lives in order to receive all the blessings God has for us. If we fail to follow His instructions for life, we will likely miss out on some of the blessings He has for us.

In our culture, there are many ways to become someone’s child. Of course, the most common is through natural childbirth. But an adopted child is no less of a child of his/her parents than one through a natural childbirth. They have all the rights, privileges, love and caring of other children.

John 1:12-13 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Those who trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord become His children. And as our Heavenly Father, God loves each of us with an everlasting and abundant love, deeply caring for us. As His child we have all the rights, privileges, love and inheritance of everyone in His family.

Sometimes when I am in a group and serving others, I will do some little thing and someone will come right behind me and change it or do it again. When this happens, I feel like my efforts were in vain, that I didn’t really accomplish anything, and that I have been disrespected. Sometimes, no matter how well we do something, it will feel like we did it in vain, not really accomplishing anything.

I Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.” The only way to make sure that your life and efforts are not useless is to be steadfast in trust, immovable in faith and truth and love, and abounding in doing all God leads you to do. Faith, truth, and love will unfailingly accomplish good when paired with following God’s power. Left to our own devices we really do not achieve lasting benefits. But with humility and dependence upon the Lord our efforts will achieve everlasting benefits.

Sometimes we get the feeling that God doesn’t care about us. Oh, we know intellectually that He cares about the world in general, but we don’t think that He cares about us individually. He seems distant when we struggle. Our prayers seem to be unanswered. We think that we and our problems are too small for a Sovereign God to know, understand and do something about.

Mark 1:40-41 says, “And a leper came to him imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.'” In these verses, one desperate man, a leper, came to Jesus. He believed that Jesus could heal him, if only Jesus cared about him. Jesus was moved by compassion and healed the man. Jesus knows each of us thoroughly and understands our hurts and pains. He wants to heal all of our broken places, pains, sadness, and hurts. We need to simply and humbly ask Him to heal us, believing that He cares about each of us and is able to heal our brokenness.

Some people do good things for others so that they will receive attention and be praised. Some people do good things because it makes them feel good. Others do good out of compulsion, feeling like they have to do it.

Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” It is easy to be a light and do good works when things are going well. But when things are not going well for us, it is hard to do good works and shine for Jesus. It requires that we trust Him to make things better for us while giving us strength to do good for others. Doing good works also requires that our hearts are right with God, remaining steadfast in our love for Him and full of compassion for others.