Reluctant Retiree

We all have certain things in our lives that we are not proud of. We would be ashamed of ourselves if the story is ever publicly told. We try to do what we can to make sure that these failures, struggles, or sins are never revealed.

The gospel message, however, is completely different. In Romans 1:16-17 the apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.'”

The gospel is the message from God of salvation. It’s power is revealed when the believer is made righteous by God through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. The believer is transformed from sinner to saint, from enemy of God to His child, from a slave to sin to freedom in Christ, and from hopelessness to secure in the hope of his salvation.

So we can be bold in proclaiming the gospel message. There is no shame in proclaiming this powerful truth.

My hearing ability is decreasing over time. I have worn hearing aids for over a decade, but I frequently need to get them adjusted for increased hearing loss. If I don’t do that then I can easily become comfortable in not hearing over time. The ability to hear is precious and I definitely do want to hear what others are saying.

Our hearts can become dull to the Lord’s voice over time. Every time we say “No” to God, our heart becomes a little more resistant to Him. We become comfortable in our inability to hear His voice. At the same time, we begin to lose our ability to see His works and understand His will.

Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah when he says, “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” If God seems distant to you, perhaps your heart has become dull as you have said “No” to Him recently or repeatedly. Examine your heart to see if you have rejected Him in some way and thereby have moved away from Him. He is worth hearing. His works are worth seeing.

If you have ever been called to Jury Duty, you know that it comes with certain responsibilities. You must be alert as all the evidence is presented. You must think clearly and reason well as you assess the evidence. In the jury room, you must speak up for the truth. And you must serve the people of your city, county, and nation well.

In Acts 26:16 God speaks to Paul as He calls him into service and says, “But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.”

Not many of us will experience such a dramatic call to God. But our call to God remains similar to Paul’s. God is calling us to stand strong in His might, serve Him and people, and be a witness of the things God has done for us. He may not speak audibly to us, but like the ordinary human who was Paul, God calls us to a specific purpose. Your purpose may look different than mine, but all of us are called to be servants and witnesses.

Many times I have been in the position where I needed a favor from someone. This usually involves a need that I have but can’t fulfill by myself. So I ask someone to do this very thing for me. It is a humbling experience requiring that I acknowledge that I have a need and am unable to fulfill it.

God is in the business of granting favors. Psalm 84:11 says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” If we are honest with ourselves, we have many needs that we cannot fulfill on our own. We have the need for love, peace and joy. Most of the time, these attributes escape us in our feeble efforts to secure them. We also have the need for salvation and redemption from judgment for our sins and slavery to them. Again, we have no way of securing these needs on our own. Fortunately, God in His grace has fulfilled these needs through His unmerited favor toward us in His Son Jesus Christ. By Jesus’ death on the cross He took all our sins upon Himself and secured the Father’s favor in forgiveness for our sins and cleansing from them.

We continue to receive God’s favor as we walk with Him in righteousness as He leads us and empowers us to do so. Earnestly seek the Lord’s favor by accepting His gift of salvation and then walking with Him.

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” Matthew 1:22-23

God has authority over all of human history, to the extent that He can speak through the prophet Isaiah and foretell the birth of Jesus hundreds of years before it occurred. Not only did he predict the birth but the “virgin” birth.

The child was to be called Immanuel, which means God with us. That is because God interrupted human history to take the form of a human and dwell with us. But His presence with us did not end with Jesus’ return to heaven. God gives His Holy Spirit to dwell in the lives of those who believe in Jesus and trust Him for salvation and redemption.

God is with us, not in some vague ethereal way, but rather living inside His children. He promises to never leave or forsake us. He goes before us as our guide, He stands on our right and left to provide power, He follows behind us to protect us, and He is above us to give us wisdom. He is actively working all the time to provide for us and enable us to bear fruit in glorifying His name.