October 2
Isaiah 66:1-24 | PS 74:1-23 | Prov 24:15-16 | Phil 3:4-21
Perhaps it's because of my age, as I'm just months away from my 66th birthday, but many of my patients bring up the topic of retirement. The majority tell me their plans in terms of finances and age, referring to when they are able to retire. I always ask what they have planned for this juncture of their lives. Some have called it "me time". Many give a laundry list of pastimes such as spending days relaxing in Florida, engaging in activities such as golf and pickleball. While others speak of travelling a great deal. There is nothing wrong with retiring from whatever your vocation is on earth. But, as Christians, we are not called to retire from purpose. We don't stop being His servants at a particular age. What we do might change, but doing for the Lord must never change. Nowhere in Scripture does it tell people to kick our feet up and live for ourselves. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but this is a pagan concept focused on self rather than God. Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of these activities, as long as we don't lose our perspective as remaining His ambassadors until He calls us home.
We believe Paul was in his sixties around the time of his death. He spent many years being beaten, and his physical body must have been in brutal pain by this time, especially now confined to the uncomfortable dungeon he was now in, yet we read his words in Philippians 3:12-14, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Paul's surroundings might have changed, but his mindset never wavered. Notice the contrast he offers between those who live for themselves as opposed to those who live for Christ in 3:18-20, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,". Again, you don't have to be a missionary to some distant country, or be a pastor of a church, but if you are Christ's ambassador what is it that you do for Him on a daily basis. It's not simply about what we take from Him, but it is also about what we give Him in terms of service. This does not have to be at our workplace, but we need to remain purposeful, always.
Paul, James, Jude, Peter, etc. in their letters all referred to themselves as "bondservants of Jesus Christ". This means they gave up their personal freedoms in order to accept the true freedom from sin which can only come through the blood of Jesus Christ. They were not slaves, which is involuntary, but bondservants who willingly gave up these freedoms (Exodus 21:5-6). This means they stopped living for themselves and spent their days seeking how they can serve their master. When we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we too, become His bondservants. There needs to be less about me, myself, and I, and more about Him. This will look different for all of us. God has given us different gifts and placed us in different mission fields. But may we never forget that wherever you are today, throughout the day, you are indeed in a mission field. May we fill our days seeking to serve Him, whether young and starting college, or in our waning years as we await one day being with Him in heaven.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: