Many recount stories of those who “waited too long” to retire and were unable to enjoy those later years due to physical changes, mental changes or death of loved ones. What most don’t realize, is that there is no retiring when yo’re part of God’s army. There is nothing wrong with ending your job, but the question is, “What are you now going to do in service for God”. Why is God giving us the gift of breath this day? As citizens of heaven and ambassadors on earth (Philippians 3:20), our service never ends. But this thinking runs completely opposite of the world’s thinking. The world says you’ve worked long and hard, and it’s time to kick up your feet and take it easy. But this is not what God says.

Jesus tells “The Parable of The Rich Fool” in Luke 12:16-21, “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So, he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”” He says in Luke 12:34, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Everything here on earth is temporal, except souls. If our focus is on the here and now and acquiring all we can for those later years, we are missing God’s purpose for our lives.

We should all take notice of 13:7, “Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit in this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’” The question is, no matter what age we are, are we bearing fruit for His kingdom. This might look different at different ages and stages of life, but the question remains the same, “Are You bearing fruit?”
When it was time to designate land in Israel, Caleb at 85, did not choose a comfortable retirement area near the beach. He wanted the mountain, which was occupied by the giants, trusting God would still use him (Joshua 14). It has been shown that when we fail to exercise our brain, the brain begins to deteriorate, hastening dementia, etc. The world’s answer is more crossword puzzles. Though there is nothing wrong with doing these puzzles, I think the answer is more time in Scripture and more service for Him. Our life ends and our service on earth ends when He says it is over, and not a moment sooner. So fix your eyes on “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and receive your marching orders.