Psalm 92-100

June 27

Psalm 92-100

When is the right time to retire? As people live longer and are able to be active at older ages, the question keeps popping up. What should be the age that we can begin to draw on our retirement or begin to receive social security? Are mandatory retirement ages too low? Many people work their entire lives looking forward to the day when they no longer have to punch the clock. People strain and struggle now so they can sit back later. Other people want to work until they are buried. The thought of not having anything to do each day is enough to drive them crazy.

No matter our thoughts on retirement from our careers, God does not have a retirement plan for our spiritual lives. As followers of Christ we are to be fruitful with our lives whether we are old or young. "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”" (Psalm 92:12-15, NIV)

God does not tell us that after a certain number of years of service or after a certain age, we can sit back and watch and let the next generation do the work of the church. Scripture instead speaks of the older generation mentoring and teaching the younger generation while the older generation continues to serve alongside the next generation. We are to continue to bear fruit even in our old age. Our work may change. We may not be able to do the things we used to do, but we can still be fruitful. We can still have an impact on the Kingdom of God. Remember the Lord is our Rock. We can lean on Him when we get tired and need rest, but that is not an excuse to stop serving.