I spent over forty years building companies. They were all successful, some more than others, but I did sell one of them for $75 million with no debt. This was a major accomplishment and one of which I am very proud. After the sale, I was encouraged by members of my family and others to retire. I came to the conclusion that if I retired I could live the good life of travel, hunting and fishing, or whatever, but it would waste a lifetime of experience and business acumen that could be used to advance the Kingdom of God. I summarily rejected that idea, (much to their chagrin), and actually don’t plan on ever retiring.
I don’t believe God designed us to retire. I expressed that sentiment in Bible study last week and stated that the Bible did not mention retirement except for the Levites who were relieved of carrying heavy pots of ceremonial water and relegated to teaching. I was challenged on that with a passage in Numbers beginning in 8:23: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”
Hmmm . . . I had the new assignment wrong, but I don’t see anything about retirement here. It states their duties change; however, they are still instructed to minister to their brothers by serving as guards. That isn’t a life of laying around eating, sleeping, and lounging on the couch.
What a waste it is for those of us who have spent a lifetime gaining experience and wisdom to waste it just because we reach a certain age. Moses, Abraham, and other biblical heroes did their most important work for the Lord late in life, often after having been tested in many different ways. A modern day hero, Bill Bright founder of Campus Crusade, was far and away most productive beginning in his mid-seventies.
God gives us His wisdom about this subject in Psalm 92:12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.
I googled this subject and found this interesting entry at Gotquestions.org: “Even though we may retire from our vocations (even “full-time” Christian ministry), we should never retire from serving the Lord, although the way we serve Him may change. There is the example of two very old people in Luke 2:25-38 (Simeon and Anna) who continued to serve the Lord faithfully. Anna was an elderly widow who ministered in the temple daily with fasting and prayer. Titus 2 states that the older men and women are to teach, by example, younger men and women how to live.
One’s older years are not to be spent solely in the pursuit of pleasure. Paul says that the widow who lives for pleasure is dead while she yet lives (1 Timothy 5:6). Contrary to biblical instruction, many people equate retirement with “pursuit of pleasure” if at all possible. This is not to say that retirees cannot enjoy golf, social functions, or pleasurable pursuits. But these should not be the primary focus of one’s life at any age.
The Christian never retires from Christ’s service; he only changes the address of his workplace. In summary, as one reaches “retirement age” (whatever that is) the vocation may change but one’s life work of serving the Lord does not change. Often it is these “senior saints” who, after a lifetime of walking with God, are able to convey the truths of God’s Word by relating how God has worked in their lives. Prayer is perhaps the most fruitful ministry outlet for those who have retired.”
We are only allowed a vapor of our time to reside on this earth and yet that work follows us through eternity. In fact the work we do for the Lord on this earth is the ONLY thing we are allowed to take with us to the next life.
Anyone who studies the Bible knows that all whom God owns, he employs; even angels have their services. This is not to say that we should not enjoy the fruits of our labor. Eccl. 3:13 Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil — this is God’s gift to man.
It is to say that we should serve God right up until we take our last breath and enter eternity knowing that we have fought the good fight. My good friend and one of my heroes Bill Glass who founded the Bill Glass Behind the Walls prison ministry 40 years ago is a prime example of this. He has passed 80 years of age, been plagued with a stroke and other health issues and yet he still makes it to prison yards to do his utmost to reach lost souls for Christ. He expressed to me that he hoped that when the Lord called him home he would be standing in a prison yard preaching the Gospel. His ministry has trained some 250,000 plus how to evangelize and over 1 million inmates have made decisions for Christ. That will go with Bill to be enjoyed forever.
You go Bill!
So follow Bill’s lead and do something for the Lord besides sitting around. You might say: “Oh but I’m so old and tired . . . Okay so call upon the name of the Lord to renew your strength . . .
Isaiah 40;20
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
November 15 2016 – Click here to listen