He had a certain glow in his eyes as he talked about retirement. He kept counting the days. He had only a few weeks more until the big “R”. He kept talking of his plans and all that he was looking forward to doing. Now he is gone. Just like that, he passed away and now all of his plans have come to naught.
It is not the first time I have heard this happening. It won’t be the last. We are so fragile, and we just don’t know what the days ahead will be like, if they will come at all.
This is why God’s Word cries out that we should live every day to its fullest, for the days are coming when we either won’t be here, or will be too weak to live them well.
We are warned that such days are coming by the author of Ecclesiastes;
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”—2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; 5 when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets. 6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” – Ecclesiastes 12:1-6
Not very uplifting words, but they are not meant to be. They are meant to stir us. Challenge us. Motivate us. Warn us. They are meant to make us take a closer look at our lives now, and ask of ourselves, “Am I giving sufficient thought to God and the life He calls me to? Am I walking out my days in faith towards the One who gives all things meaning”? You know the age-old question, “Are you prepared to meet your maker?” You can almost hear that question being asked in verse six. That question not only asks of us if we have a right standing with God, but if how we are living lines up well with who He has revealed Himself to be.
So, how do we “check-in” to see how we are doing with all this?
First, we go to the authority on such matters – God, and His Word. We can just guess who God is, but the probabilities are high that we would be wrong. Probably very wrong. The good news is that He has revealed who He is in the Bible, so it does not have to remain a mystery. He wants us to know who He is and what type of life He calls us to, so much so that He has put it all in a book that is easy for most of us to obtain. Once we get a good grasp on who He is and how He wants us to live, we can consider how well our lives match what is revealed in His Word. Still, I wouldn’t recommend that we appraise ourselves, but instead prayerfully invite God (and perhaps some mature believers in Christ whom we trust) to speak into our hearts and let us know how we are doing. The Holy Spirit is powerful, and He will have no problem cutting through our skewed view of things so that we can see these issues more clearly.
Many people pour great energy into their retirement plans. They consider moving to Florida, maybe traveling, or getting themselves that special car they have always wanted. Yet, nothing is promised. Wouldn’t it be great if we could implement plans right now that address the most important issues of life? We can! You see, these plans don’t require us to be retired, they just require us to be breathing. With every breath we draw, we can love God and people. We can give sacrificially to His kingdom and to the needs of others with joy. We can share the truth about who God is with others, and encourage them to receive the forgiveness offered through the cross, and to live for Him. Every day, we can be a light in dark places, and lead the way in forgiving others as Christ forgave us.
The beautiful thing is that if we follow God’s leading, and live out our lives in such ways, when we meet our maker He will say to us, “ ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23)
Hmm, sounds like God has the ultimate retirement plans awaiting those who love Him. Do you want to be a person whom God choses for all eternity to “be in charge of many things”? I hope so. Such a pursuit will not only fulfill your life now, but forever.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
For Jesus,
Rob