The past few blogs have been sparked by questions from a book I am reading entitled Replenish. It has made reflect on things I have not considered. I find myself eager to keep reading and to keep discovering new paths to God. The penetrating question I read this morning was, what kind of old person do you want to be?
I have to admit that is not a question I have considered before. I have considered that, in my opinion, retirement is overrated. Unless people retire from their vocation to become full time available to God. While many people my age are looking toward the finish line of work, I feel there is still much territory to conquer with God's help. I have rejected every single piece of AARP literature with my name on it in the trash can. I am not looking to retire. I am refocused and reenergized to work for my King Jesus. Caleb said he has was as strong at 85 as he was at 40. I cannot say that. I feel aches in my joints I did not feel at 40. The Spirit of the living God is alive in me throbbing with energy and spiritual vitality though. I am just as passionate about preaching and teaching as I was as a younger man. I still get excited when Jesus saves people. I love the work God called me to do.
What kind of old person do I want to be? Hmmm. My first thought was a joyful productive one. I do not see retirement in my future. I realize a time may come when the church I serve may think it is time to move on from an old pastor to a younger one. I will not fight them on this. At that point, I hope God will open a traveling itinerant ministry for me to keep traveling preaching and teaching like he did for George Mueller who circled the globe over a dozen times in his later years on preaching tours. If that fails, I hope God will allow me to serve churches in some capacity as interim pastor or pulpit supply. If those play out, I hope to preach a Bible study in a local church or in my home for those interested in digging into the word. There will still be souls to win and prayers to pray. I see no reason why my last years cannot be my most productive years. If my sons one day have to put me in a care facility, my plan is to take over the preaching in that facility. I plan to serve the Lord joyfully and productively until my last breath or my health breaks rendering me unable to do so any longer.
God did not call me to minister until I was 65. He called me for life. I hope to keep writing as well as teaching the Bible until the end of my days. As long as God keeps inspiring material, I hope to keep hammering these keys with thoughts that challenge and encourage others in their walk with God.
I do not want to become sour and bitter in my old age. I want to encourage the younger generation with Bible truth and discipleship. I know of a pastor up in the Amarillo area who is still preaching weekly into his 90's to a little flock. That inspires me. I know of a 78 year old who just stepped down from pastoring, only because his wife was ailing and he needed to focus on taking care of her. I know of several pastors who are faithfully laboring into their late 70;s and early 80's like David Jeremiah, Jack Graham, Chuck Swindoll. The late Charles Stanley, Adrian Rodgers, and W.A. Criswell served into their twilight years. They inspire me to keep laboring for the Lord. There is more work to be done.
Most importantly, I want to be a senior adult who is still seeking and following hard after God. I want a fresh walk with the Master. Not a stale one resting on past experiences. I do not want to coast into eternity but hit the finish line in a dead sprint of chasing hard after God to the very end. That means for prayer, more Scripture reading and meditation, more listening to the Lord, and more encounters with Him.
I end by asking what kind of old person do you want to be? Some reading this may already consider themselves old. Fred is 80 years old. He could make excuses for not doing more. He has his own health issues, but he does not make excuses. Fred spends his Sunday afternoons at substance abuse detox center ministering to those struggling in addiction. He loves and prays for those clients. The clients love Fred. They see him as a grandfather. Many of them keep up with him once they leave. Fred is the kind of man I want to become. Still seeking, serving, and productive for my Lord when others my age have retired from everything including seeking and serving God. I want to be like Fred.
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