Reluctant Retiree

Every year my sister sends us handmade wooden gifts at Christmas. She downplays this generous and thoughtful act, but they are beautifully painted and carefully crafted items. We received this year’s gifts today. An ornamental sleigh and calendar were included.

Did you know that God handcrafted you with a special and unique design? In that design he gave you special talents and abilities. His intention was to use your gifts and personality to further his kingdom. He did all this even before the foundation of the world. As with the rest of his creation, he declared you were a person he could love. The question is will you respond to that love by giving yourself to him.

Ephesians 1:3-6 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he blessed us in the Beloved.”

Snow is lightly falling and the temperatures are freezing. As storms go, this is mild. Additionally, the temperature inside is cozy and we are not threatened very much. Later this winter the storms will be much worse.

Life can be like that. Some times a small storm of anxiety or frustration may come. We can handle those pretty easily, or we think we can. But other times bigger storms arise and we become very frightened, angry, and upset. We may not have the resources within ourselves to handle these storms. Friends may not be able to help. We may become desperate and not know where to turn.

Jesus’ disciples faced just such a situation. They were on the open sea when a great storm arose. They were tossed about by the wind and the sea. Water was flooding into the boat. They thought they were going to perish. Then they turned to Jesus. “And he (Jesus) said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” Matthew 8:26. When the inevitable storms arise in our lives, we must turn to Jesus in faith. He will then bring a great calm to our lives. Whether the storms in life are big or small, we were not created to handle them on our own. We need Jesus.

Last night we saw houses decorated with Christmas lights for the first time this season. Tomorrow night we will go to the botanical gardens for their annual Christmas light display. The lights are beautiful and do a good job of setting the mood for the season. They seem to point the way for the good things to come.

A special light figures prominently in the story of the first Christmas. The wise men from the east followed a star to find the newborn king, Jesus. A great light also lit up the sky and surrounded the shepherds as an angel announced that a savior had been born.

Jesus said that his followers were to be lights for and to the world. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put in under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that thrry may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” It seems that God likes to use lights to lead people to Jesus.

We are all aware that there are underdogs in sports. The underdog is the team expected to lose. Sometimes the underdog plays extremely well or a miracle happens allowing the underdog to win. Generally we all root for the underdog.

Unfortunately, underdogs exist in life, as well. These people may have grown up in disfunctional families and/or disadvantaged economic circumstances. They may have physical, psychological, or social challenges. They are not expected to succeed. Often they are viewed as outcasts, and as such, they face even greater challenges.

Fortunately, there are no underdogs in the kingdom of God. His love is available to any who would ask. He does not want any to be lost. All we have to do is accept his gift of grace and mercy. Whatever we lack in background, experience, and strengths, he overcomes in the person of his Holy Spirit. Then we can say with Paul, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13

Our new President will likely appoint many new ambassadors. Their job will be to represent the United States wherever they are assigned. They must accurately reflect the interests of our country.

Have you ever thought about the fact that we are each ambassadors. We represent different people and organizations in our various circumstances and environments. On the job we represent the company in our interactions with clients, the public and even other employees. In social situations we represent our families as well as ourselves. At other times we may be ambassadors for our schools, churches and charitable organizations.

The highest ambassadorial calling we can have is to represent God, the King of kings. He is light, so the best way to represent him is by letting our light shine through the good works we do through him. Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Do you ever feel like you are running really fast but going nowhere. I sure do. I will spend a day or a week hustling all over the place, but then I look back and wonder what I really accomplished.

Two things most often hinder my progress. First, I have lost focus on my goal. So instead of going straight toward the target, I have wandered right and left. This causes me to expend more energy to get to the goal. Secondly, I have carried extra weight while running. I have let worries, anxieties, and frustration bog me down.

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells me how to avoid these pitfalls in my life. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” So to run life’s race victoriously, I must discard sin and run to Jesus, keeping my eyes focused on him.

We got in the car today, turned on the engine and the tire pressure light went on. No big deal. We just went around the block to a tire dealer and put air into the tires. Pretty mundane stuff.

That got me thinking about all the other ingredients that the car needs in order to run properly. It needs brake fluid to stop the car, gasoline to make it go, wiper fluid so you can see, coolant to keep it cool and warm, and oil to lubricate its parts so they don’t wear out.

We also need the proper ingredients to operate effectively. We need water for hydration and healthy foods to keep us strong. Now that I am older, I also need various medicines to keep various parts working well.

What about our hearts? Not the muscle. Our souls and spirit that make us who we are. What ingredients do they need to work properly? Psalm 50:10-12 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” So some of the essential ingredients for a well-working heart are a clean heart, a right spirit, God’s presence, the Holy Spirit, the joy of salvation, and a willing spirit. These enable us to live the life we were created for. God stands ready to provide these to us if we will only just ask.

When we lived in Nepal, I hated the suspension bridges for pedestrians. The heights, wind, and lengths of these bridges scared me. But oftentimes we would have to cross several of these bridges to get where we were going. Several times I would sit and pray before crossing. Prayer gave me a different perspective on the crossing. It refocused my attention away from the danger and onto the One who held me in His hands.

All of us can be subject to fears in different areas of our lives. We can have fears regarding health, security, future, relationships and many other things. Often our fears result from our desire to control our lives. When things seem to be out of our control, fear rises. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” To overcome fear we have to release control and turn the object of our fear over to God, pretty much like I was able to do on the suspension bridges.

As I watch sports, my observation is that the teams that are consistently successful are the teams that have high levels of teamwork. The players on these teams have bought into their roles and seek to handle their responsibilities as effectively as they can. They don’t try to do too much and communicate well with their teammates. They sublimate their personal goals to team objectives.

Successful businesses and other organizations work the same way. While people have personal needs for income and security met by their jobs, good employees understand that when they contribute to the company’s success, they contribute to their own success, as well.

God expects an even higher level of teamwork within his church, among believers. In fact Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) This new commandment requires a higher standard of love for Jesus’ disciples. The new standard for our love is the way Jesus loves us; abundantly, steadfastly, sacrificially, selflessly, and eternally.

Have you noticed that our desires often stay hidden, until they go unfulfilled? Then they come to the surface in anger, worry and frustration.

For instance we may have a desire for prestige. But when we do not get noticed we may lash out with belittling others or exaggerating our accomplishments.

Or we may have a desire for control. When something happens contrary to our desire we become angry at the offender.

We may also have a desire for comfort. When circumstances draw us out of our comfort zone we can begin to be anxious, fearful, and worried.

Desires can lead us away from where we really want to go. Instead of prestige we find slander. Instead of control we find anger. And instead of comfort we suffer worry. What can we do to subjigate these desires and go where we really want to go? Philippians 4:5-7 says, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”