Wednesday, September 14, 2016

            Before September arrived I had been wondering whether I would miss the “thrill” of starting up another new church year now that I have retired. I used to love the Fall when everything began to kick back into gear. There was a sense of anticipation and a spirit of eagerness. Sometimes, new programs would begin, or a new project, or some fresh venture. It often took the church folk a few weeks to catch up to my enthusiasm; maybe by Thanksgiving when everybody was finally back and ready to go. Nevertheless, by and large, I enjoyed the start-up season of September.

            But, to be honest and a little to my surprise, I haven’t missed it as much as I thought I might. It feels different in some ways, but I am very okay with this. I’m not bored yet. I am not looking very hard for the next Big Thing. I feel no burning itch to hitch myself up to some new wagon.  I have heard of pastors who have hated retirement and sometimes it makes me wonder what’s wrong with me that I am so comfortable in this season that I am in. Then I understand what the writer of Ecclesiastes meant: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

            This is not to say that if and when God taps me on the shoulder and has a new assignment of some kind that I will turn it down.  In fact, I pray that it will be something that I have never done before, just for the challenge of it. It doesn’t have to be pastoral ministry – in fact, I hope it isn’t. But whatever it may be, I hope I will welcome it with enthusiasm, and commit myself wholeheartedly to the effort.  I can remember too often when sometimes, a few of our most capable, gifted, retired folk in my churches would turn down taking on tasks or challenges. I don’t want to be that person, if I can help it. Although maybe the real issue was that we weren’t offering something challenging enough, stirring enough, daring enough to warrant their time and they had already done everything else that could be done in the church, you know, the same old same old. Boring! Unrewarding! Fruitless!

            Abraham and Sarah had a good laugh when God said they were going have a son in their nineties(!). Even taking in account the possible and even intentionally humorous hyperbole of the text, it still effectively stresses the point that God does not see old age as an excuse for opting out of his unusual work. Indeed, Abraham and Sarah set out on this sacred adventure when they were said to be in their seventies, leaving behind everyone they knew and everything that was familiar.  There are mornings when my knees ache, my shoulder throbs, my arthritis acts up that I don’t even want to get out of bed, never mind set out on a mission trip to God knows where.  

            Moses was in his eighties when God asked him to lead his people out of Egypt, for 40 years! When I am eighty I plan to sit on my front porch, with my favourite beverage, a good cigar, and wave my cane at the kids going by and tell them to keep off the grass. Just kidding – about the last part anyway!

            So try something new this Fall. Have you ever been to a Bible study? Have you ever sung in a choir?  Have you ever volunteered at the meal for the homeless, poor and hungry? Have you ever volunteered to help the pastor with hospital visitation?  You get the idea. Or as it is written, “Be prepared in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Dale