Reluctant Retiree

It is easy to become anxious these days. We rush around trying to accomplish the things that seem important to us, while neglecting many things that are truly important. Paying bills seems to get harder, even as our income grows. Outside forces and events trouble us. Unstable political conditions and worldwide conflicts certainly add to our anxieties.

Isaiah 26:3 gives us a conditional promise regarding inner peace when it says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts you.” God promises to give us perfect peace. But note the conditions He placed on this promise. He gives peace to those who trust Him and keep their minds on Him. This conditional promise makes perfect sense. When we believe in Almighty God and trust Him to work for us out of His great love, our anxieties fade away. When we keep our minds on Him, the anxieties are replaced with an assurance that He will take care of us in His grace.

If you are wallowing in a sea of anxiety, try looking to God to replace your anxiety with His perfect peace. His loving-kindness will calm your spirit and He will care for you beyond all measure.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

Jesus quoted these words of Isaiah’s prophecy made hundreds of years before Jesus’s time. The prophecy reads like a job description for the Messiah. A verse later in Luke Jesus is quoted as saying, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Therefore Jesus asserted that He is the Messiah that fulfills this prophecy.

From these verses we learn what God anointed His Son to do. Jesus proclaims good news of salvation for all of us who are weak and poor in spirit. He sets us free from the chains and captivity of sin and darkness. He brings light to our darkened souls so that we may behold the truth and be led into righteousness. He proclaims that He is always with those of us who believe in Him. Jesus is God’s Son. Freedom and light are given to those who believe in Him and walk with Him.

The book of Nehemiah in the Bible tells the story of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. It had been destroyed along with the rest of the city when the Babylonian king conquered the Hebrew kingdom and took the people captive to Babylonia.

Nehemiah served King Artaxerxes. He would be the one to ask the king for permission to rebuild the wall. But before Nehemiah did that, he prayed. In his prayer he confessed the sins of the people as they had rebelled against God. Nehemiah also spent some time in his prayer praising God for His awesome power. After Nehemiah acknowledged his own and the people’s weaknesses and recognized the mighty power of God, he made one petition of God. He asked for favor. Nehemiah needed God’s favor and the king’s favor in order to rebuild the wall.

Psalm 90:17 says, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” If we wish to produce good fruit and accomplish meaningful works, we need the favor of God. It is encumbant upon us to pray before we begin the work and to seek God’s favor. We should acknowledge our own weaknesses, like Nehemiah did, and trust in God’s power. Then we can see do that which endures and brings forth good.

Many years ago the expression “many happy returns” was routinely used. It was supposed to be a wish for many blessings for the recipient. Unfortunately only some of our returns are happy. Sometimes we are blessed to return home to reunite with loved ones. However, sometimes those reunions are sad due to the loss of loved ones or strife within our families. Sometimes we return in shame as things have not gone well for us or we have committed some transgression.

Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son. After wasting his inheritance and living in degradation, the son returns home. Instead of being greeted with anger and accusations, the son is greeted with love and mercy. In fact, the father has been looking toward the return of his son and can’t wait to throw his arms around the son and welcome him home.

Of course, Jesus told this story to illustrate our Heavenly Father’s mercy and love toward us. God is rich in mercy and his steadfast love is abundant. When we return to Him and admit our wrongs, He welcomes our return with open arms. Joel 2:13 says, “and rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” Return home today, as our Heavenly Father awaits your return with rich mercy and abounding love.

“By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.” Psalm 65:5

God’s definition of hope varies significantly from the world’s definition. According to Oxford Languages hope means, “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen”. So hope is defined as a feeling, something that comes from within a person. It is some vague desire for something to occur. It is therefore a selfish emotion.

God’s definition is the assurance that something will happen based on His nature. Since God’s power is unlimited and He always acts in righteousness, He will always accomplish what He promises. We can trust in His goodness, mercy, grace and might. We can always have hope that God will hear us and answer our prayers in His righteousness and power.