God Commanded Us to Go Into All the World...Not Retire

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Arad Fortress Today's picture is of the Iron Age fortress in the ruins of ancient Arad. It reminds us of II Samuel 22: 1-3; "And David spoke the words of this song to the LORD in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior,  “They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing” (Psalm  92:14) Hey Gang:  I turned on the radio just in time to hear one old duffer say, “Old age is a matter of mind over matter”.    I thought perhaps he was talking about making pickled baloney or some other exotic type activity.  And then he finished his statement, “If you don’t mind, it does not matter”.   I think I need to ponder that for a year or two but in the mean time I think I will keep the rocking chair in the basement. To many in our world, getting old does matter and they tend to go to great pains and expense to ward off the wrinkled years..   The radio and television business would soon dry up, if all of the beauty ads designed to make us look younger, and all the drugs and vitamins ads designed to maintain the strength of our youth were not on the air. I recently read the story of one, John Kelley, who died at the age of 96,  a ripe old age even for this day and age when people seem to be living longer.   His claim to fame is that he ran in the Boston Marathon  58 times (that’s 26.2 miles each time- including his last one in 1992 when he was a mere 84 years young). I read that piece of trivia in awe.  I am a mere 78 years of age and I am not sure I could run to the local grocery store which is a mere one mile from my doorstep..    I have certainly learned what Bernie, my  bookkeeper of past years, meant when she said, “Use your abilities, buster, or you are going to lose them”.    My observations, since recycling from the work world fourteen years ago, is far too  many folks hit middle or retirement age and put their bodies in neutral.  And unfortunately that includes many Christians.  I find no place in the Bible where God  says, that's enough, you are too old to share the Good News that Jesus Christ is Lord and He is the way, the truth and the life.  I find no place where Scripture says you have earned the right to get out your rocking chair and no longer be concerned about widows and orphans .  I find no place where God tell us His command to go into all the world and preach the gospel is null and void to anyone. The Psalmist said that the righteous “shall bear fruit in old age” (Psa. 92:14).  For those who are physically able, that means continuing in active service until the 'Roll is Called Up Yonder'.  If your have checked the obit’s today and your name is not there, fire up the boiler and  take God at His word, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and might things, which you do not know” (Jer. 33:3). Soooo,  all you who are still  punching the time clock looking forward to the day you can retire and get out the rocking chair – Forget it!  To the King’s Kid the word is “RECYCLE”.  Blessings, Gramps