Remember Your Creator

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecc%2012:1&version=NIV1984

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy+4:7&version=NIV1984

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12:19-21&version=NIV1984

Financial advisers are unanimous in saying that the very best time to start planning for retirement is when a person is young.  Preferably in their early-20's.  And even sooner, if possible.  The reason has to do with the value of compound interest.  When a person puts money in an interest-bearing account they gain interest.  I know, I know, that was profound.  The important thing about this is that the interest gets deposited into their account along with their principle.  The result is that when interest is given once again it is now given on the new total.  This means a little more interest than before (given that the interest rate hasn’t gone down).  The bottom line is that the longer a person has money in this kind of account the more the interest will compound, resulting in a larger balance.  This means that the difference between investing for 30 years and 40 years is huge.  Those extra 10 years could conceivably mean double the balance.  There is a spiritual application here.

The past 4 days I have been posting about getting older.  And yesterday I spent some time looking at how God would have us view it.  The fact is that old age can be the very best time of our lives.  A time of great satisfaction and fulfillment.  A time of unparalleled use by God.  A time to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.  If.  If we make plans for it.  Just like investing for retirement, the best time to plan for our later years is when we are young.  This is why young people need to take to heart Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 12:1 - “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.”  Perhaps a good word picture will help us to understand this important principle.

Life is like a blank canvas.  Each day a person is painting on that canvas what will one day be a portrait of their life.  So it’s not the ‘finishing touches’ of retirement years that are important.  But rather the foundational pattern and strokes of one’s youth.  In other words, youth is the time that often lays the framework for what a person will experience in their latter years.  This being the case, the smart thing to do is to include God in one’s life when they are young.  This is accomplished by making decisions based upon His Word.  By following the leading of the Holy Spirit.  The result is good decisions and choices.  Decisions and choices that compound over time.  The result is arrival at retirement with a substantial balance in the spiritual bank account.

Another key to a fulfilling retirement is to have the proper mindset toward it when one is young.  The current mindset of most Christians toward retirement is completely secular.  It is based upon the American dream.  Work hard, put money away, and when retirement comes - eat, drink and be merry.  Sit back.  Enjoy life.  Do what you want to do.  Get rid of any and all commitments.  Keep your schedule open.  My question is this.  “Is Jesus only Lord of a person’s life until they retire?  Then they get to take their life back?  And live it anyway they want to?”  I think you know the answer.  Unfortunately, not too many older Christians understand this.  I will say it again.  The greatest tragedy in the church today is the 50+ crowd who is so busy doing what they want to do that they have no time for what God wants them to do.  Just when they have both the time and resources to serve God in a significant way!  So the best time, in my estimation, to change this is when a person is young.  If a 20- or 30-something Christian has the mindset that when they are older they are going to continue to serve God in a significant way, then that is exactly what they will do.  And that is exactly what is needed in the church today.

So, young people, listen up.  Now is the time to live for God.  Now is the time be sold out to Jesus.  Now is the time to develop the mindset that your entire life (including your retirement years) is going to be spent serving God.  And for us older Christians who are either retired or getting close to it, choose to be an example to young people.  Show them that serving Jesus doesn’t end at 62.  Or 65.  Demonstrate to them how fulfilling and rewarding the last quarter of life can be.  Finish strong.  Finish well!

Lord, I am so glad for the many years that I have spent serving You.  They are paying huge dividends now.  And I expect that they are going to pay even more in the future.  Help me to finish well.  To keep my eye on the prize.  To do everything in my power to serve You with everything that You've given me.  As long as I have breath.  And to be an example to those who are young.  In Jesus' name, Amen.