Reluctant Retiree

We are in the midst of the Memorial Day weekend. It is the time set aside to remember the sacrifice of those who gave their lives to defend the freedoms that we enjoy. While this country is far from perfect, we cannot deny honor to the men and women who gave so much to protect us.

Life should be cherished. People sacrifice much so that others can live long and productive lives. Teachers and medical professionals have put their lives in danger serving the needs of all of us. They are, and should be, honored regularly for their selfless service.

God also has made a sacrifice that gives life to people. He gave His only Son that we may have eternal life. I John 5:11-12 says, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

The significance of God’s sacrifice is that you must choose to accept it. The sacrifice has been made and you have been offered eternal life. Will you accept God’s gift of eternal life? It is only available in His Son, Jesus Christ.

I have had a hearing loss for many years now. I wear hearing aids, but they don’t always help enough. I suppose being unable to hear every word doesn’t bother some people, but it does bother me. I actually want to hear what other people are saying, at least most of the time. I admit that sometimes I don’t mind not hearing the noise around me.

One time that we all want to be heard is when we need help. Imagine what it would be like if you were seriously ill and medical people could not hear or understand what you are saying. Or think how horrible it would be if you called 911 in an emergency and they couldn’t hear you.

Fortunately, we do have a God that can and does hear our every plea for help. When we’ve messed up and need His mercy, He is eager to hear our pleas, as these pleas recognize our need for God. Psalm 28:2 records King David’s cry for mercy; “Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.” David knew that God would not reject his pleas for mercy. Later in the same Psalm David writes, “Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield: in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” David received the mercy he needed and asked God to give him. If we ask, God stands ready to give us mercy also.

I have never been good at waiting. I get really anxious in long lines at stores and government offices. Sometimes I do alright if the line seems to be moving. But if there is some breakdown in front of me, I can feel the pressure rise inside me. I am not proud of this weakness and try to offset it in various ways.

I’m sure that you have heard the expression that “good things come to those who wait”. I’m not sure if that is true in our world or just positive thinking.

On the other hand, the Bible is pretty clear on the subject. We are given the command to wait on the Lord many times in scripture. Psalm 27:13-14 says, “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Why are we commanded to wait for the Lord? Because waiting demonstrates that we trust God. When we wait for Him, we are not taking things into our own hands, but rather leaving them to Him. What is the result of waiting? These verses indicate that we will see the goodness of the Lord, not just in eternity but now, while we are living.

My wife is obsessed with maps. When we are driving in a new city, she pours over the maps. Although she is adept at using Google Maps, she would prefer to have the larger paper maps available. As we approach our exit she will remind me to turn off the exit every time she sees a sign for the exit. Despite her obsession, I prefer to drive and have her give me directions, because she really does know the way.

Every day it is good to have someone by your side to show you the way. Trusted advisors help keep us on the right path. Experts know the way within their field. But God knows the right path to take in every circumstance. He sees potential dangers and leads us away from them. He knows the future, so He directs us to make good choices.

Psalm 25:8-10 says, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” God requires humility, because humility acknowledges that God knows the way and lets God lead. We should trust Him, because all His ways are love and faithfulness.

In the last three years I have been involved in some disaster recovery efforts. With a team from an organization called Eight Days of Hope, I have helped people recover from hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. The process requires that we first remove the damaged parts of a house. If this is not done then any repairs would just cover up dangerous structural issues, like mold. Then the rebuild can take place. Often rebuilds turn out better than the original.

God does the same thing with us. Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul.” When God restores us, He makes us better than the original us. But first He needs to remove the parts of us that have been damaged by pain, hurts, troubles and sin. God did all of this through the sacrifice of His Son. All of our pains, suffering and sins were nailed to the cross with Jesus. In their place God put righteousness, healing and deliverance.

When we trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, God makes us brand new. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Let God restore your soul. Let Him make you brand new and better than the original.