Reluctant Retiree

I can be pretty sarcastic at times. It is often the way that I express humor. I am not proud of this weakness in my social skills. Sarcasm does not help me have a positive attitude and surely does not benefit others. Instead, sarcasm tends to bring both of us down.

Our words are pretty accurate barometers of our hearts. Jesus said that the words of our mouths come directly from the quality of our hearts. A bitter heart spews out complaints and grumbling. A hurt spirit brings forth angry speech. And a heart that feels unloved will speak hateful words.

So how do we turn this around, so that we have good attitudes and positive speech? If we simply try to be more positive, we will fall short. Our outward efforts alone will not change the source of our attitudes. Let’s admit that we need help to change our hearts so that our words and attitudes can change.

Psalm 33:20-22 says, “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Let’s trust God’s holiness and steadfast love to change our hearts. He will make us glad because He is our help and shield.

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.