Retirement

As the news of my retirement has been made known, I marvel at the responses I’ve been getting.  For a few years now, people have been asking me, “When are you going to retire?”  When I answer, “When I reach my full retirement age,” they just shake their heads and sigh.  Now, when they hear I’ve retired, a few immediately ask with concern, “Is this a good thing?”  I am amused by these seemingly paradoxical responses.

Whatever the immediate response has been, I am consistently congratulated for my achievement.  Up until this morning, my retirement was not a big deal.  I thought of it as part of the circle of life.

As I’ve been treasuring the responses, I’ve also been reflecting on why I feel and think the way I do.  I’ve come to the conclusion that my attitude might have its roots in how I’ve looked at my day to day struggle in the context of my ultimate goal.

For sure, these past eight years have not been easy.  Every day I was challenged physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  Every day I would evaluate myself: “Am I performing well?  Am I giving it my best shot?  Do I have the right attitude?  Am I pleasing to God?”  On some days I did well, while on other days, not so much.

There were quite a few days that I drove up into the parking lot of my job, parked the car, and sat there in silence.   Almost every time, I had the same thoughts.  I felt like a boxer who had fought for 9 rounds and the bell sounded for the 10^th.  The question that raced through my mind was, “Do I answer the bell by standing up or do I throw in the towel?”  The answer was always, “Okay, God let’s do it!”  Then I would turn off the key, get out of my car, and head for the building.

At the end of each workday, after I got into my car and sat down, I would be amazed and ask myself, “How did I get here?  How did this happen?  How was this even possible?  How was I able to finish this day?”  After hearing myself say this, I would self correct and say, “Thank You, LORD for Your grace and Your strength.”  I was grateful that I was still standing at the end of the battle, yet I understood that there was another one coming.

It is in this context that I view my “retirement”—one chapter is over but a new one is beginning.  To be sure, there is a finish line, but retirement is not the goal of following Jesus.

Almost every day I hear myself echoing Paul’s words, “I have fought the good fight.  I have finished the race.  I have kept the faith.”  I am not bragging when I say these words.  I have not always been successful in running the race that has been laid out for me.  In fact, there have been times that I have failed miserably.  Yet, I can with confidence repeat Paul’s words and claim them as mine.  I can do this because of what Paul said after, “I have kept the faith…”

Paul said, “Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness…”  Paul doesn’t stop there and this is not the goal of Christian life.  Paul continues, “…which the LORD, the righteous Judge will award to 

The objective is not to own a piece of heavenly real estate.  The destination is not a mansion.  The trophy is not celestial bling.  The goal is to see God.  He’s the prize.  He’s the reward.

Paul tells the Romans that all of creation is in labor, waiting eagerly for the birth of that day.  It is in that day that God will reveal His children and together they will share His glory (Romans 8).  Isn’t that just like a good dad—wanting to gather his kids together to celebrate?  Don’t you yearn for that day too?