Reluctant Retiree

Yesterday, we attended the memorial service of a friend. As we get older we seem to attend more and more of these services. Friends and family members are passing away. We realize that our own passing is quickly approaching also.

I have lived far longer than I expected. My father and his father died young. I expected the same early demise, but so far I have outlived them by 20 plus years. It seems like life is long, while being too short to do all I want to do.

God has a different perspective on our lifespans. Psalm 90:3-4 says, “You return man to dust and say, ‘Return, O children of man!’ For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.” Our lifespans are but a speck of time to God.

And yet, God has given man thousands of years on this planet. Why? 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.” God does not want to lose any of the people He has created. So He patiently waits for us to repent from our sins and turn to Him for salvation. We are given a life time to return to Him. The problem, of course, is that we don’t know how long our life time will be. Please don’t wait any longer to repent from your sins and trust God to save you.

If you have any questions about this or about salvation, please contact me through this site.

With the passing of our 50th anniversary and Father’s Day, I have had the occasion to look at some family photos. The pictures brought back some great memories and fun times. We looked so young and naive back then. We had no idea what we would experience in the next 50 years. We had a strong commitment to make the marriage and family work well, but we could not predict that we would be able to endure the hard times and enjoy so many good times. God has been very gracious to us.

When we look into the future, how can we know that something will last? Unexpected health issues arise. The economy rises and declines on the smallest of whims. Political leaders change and with these changes come new laws and disputes. Technology changes what we do and how we do it. Friendships evolve or move away. Where can we find something that will not change?

Psalm 136:3-5 gives us the answer when it says, “Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever.” God loves us with a love that never changes or leaves us and remains the same forever. We can depend upon His love now and always, because He does not waver or weaken.

In our home, it is my wife that can do the repair work. Her father taught how to use tools and do many repairs. He even gave her a lot of his tools. I did not receive such instruction. It is probably just as well, as I don’t seem to have much innate ability in these areas. When I attempt to make repairs, it takes twice as long with half the quality of her efforts. Sometimes other repairs are needed due to the damage I have done in making the initial repairs. I fumble my way through the job, often getting frustrated by my ineptitude.

Often I experience the same frustration and ineffectiveness when I try to do good for someone. I work hard and start with good intentions, but it doesn’t always accomplish what I intended. Just like my repair efforts, I am using the wrong tools. Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

You see I am trying to use the tools of my experience and ability, rather than using the power tools available in the Holy Spirit. My feeble efforts can’t accomplish the good that I intended. However, if I simply rely on God’s power, He will do far more than I could ask or think.

As I go about my days, my experience is sometimes like a roller coaster. Some things will make me happy. Other things will make me unhappy. I can be patient at times and quickly angry at others. Sometimes I am filled with compassion and sometimes I ignore the needs of those around me. I should not be this way.

God has a higher purpose for me. I Thessalonians 5:16-19 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” My life does not measure up well to those commands.

How can someone as weak as me expect to do those things? The answer is in the last command; do not quench the Spirit. If I am trusting God and relying on His power in the Holy Spirit, then I will rejoice, pray and give thanks always. I can’t do it in my own strength, but God is able to do it through me in His power.

I have worn hearing aids for two decades now. I don’t mind wearing them, but they don’t always work. Like anything else, they can malfunction or just wear out. For months now I have not been able to hear well, even when I am wearing the hearing aids. It got so bad that I stopped wearing them for several days. Today I was able to finally see the audiologist. She fixed them right away and I can hear much better.

Jesus often accused the Jewish leaders and Pharisees of having ears but being unable to hear. He was saying that they had hardened their own hearts so much that they could not hear what God had to say to them. Hearing aids would not help them. They needed a change of heart.

How can we be sure that we have not hardened our hearts in the same way? Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” We increase our ability to hear God through studying His Word. Spending time in God’s Word and digesting its truth is necessary to hearing God speak to us. Try it out. Read through a book of the Bible and think about what you have read. See if you can hear God speak to you.