As we come to the end of working careers it come to the phrase “out to pasture,” it has been an eye opening, and may I state, an unexpected pleasure, to see the actions performed, and the testimonies of the people who have finished their working careers and are into the retirement segment of their life.
As I listened and learned of these amazing stories, I can see that forty plus years of work have imprinted qualities of mind and spirit which gird and adorn these individuals.
Perhaps retirement is not a calendar issue at all. For all practical reasons, maybe we have looked at the verb “retire” in the wrong and negative meaning. Its first common meaning is “leave one’s job and cease to work, typically upon reaching the normal age for leaving employment.” The second meaning is the one of more importance. It reads “withdraw to or from a particular place.”
Did you catch that? Withdraw to a place. Be encouraged. As our Lord calls us from the distractions of this life to Him, like in times of prayer, we choose to withdraw TO God. So too, we have to choose, are we withdrawing from a place or going to a place? We have the power from God to choose, but as Pastor Kasey said in a recent sermon, “You can’t have both…pick one!”
Stop and imagine a moment with me. The Lord has likely been calling (urging, encouraging, whispering) in our lives. Now we can act! Let us pray, before going out to pasture, two things. First, that we will withdraw closer TO God to listen. Second, that we can withdraw FROM the previous experiences of our working life to the bless the life that awaits ahead and expands His kingdom.
God bless you in your journey.
~ Mark Gibson