NO RETIREMENT FROM LEARNING
Read 2 Timothy 4:13.
Retirement – it has become commonly acceptanced that everyone retires when they reach a certain age. It can imply that we become less useful, less productive in our later years. At the same time, retirement can be seen as good thing that gives us years of leisure for a lifetime of hard work. But retirement is a relatively new idea in our society. It wasn’t always that way. But my objective is not to discuss the biblical or non-biblical perspective of retirement, except to say that there is never to be a retirement from learning and studying His Word and growing closer to Him with each passing day. While Paul was entering his last days, it is encouraging to see him still want his scrolls and parchments (that no doubt contained portions of the Old Testament). He was not finished yet. We never are.
When I look at some of the “retired” people in our Family of God, I am always put to shame by the amount of time they spend reading and studying the Scriptures. Perhaps more time is available to them now that their vocational work is behind them. That said, I had a professor far beyond retirement age who used to come to class and would matter-of-factly say that he just read through one of the New Testament letters – twice – before coming to class. He wasn’t bragging, but merely mentioned it as a passing comment in his conversation. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like as people get older, the more important the Scriptures become to them. But I am reminded that for these people the Scriptures did not simply come alive in their later years. These people spent time in the Scriptures pretty much all their life. Years of committed study in their early years led to their continued commitment to the end.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be the kind of person that appreciates the Scripture to the very end, perhaps even more as I get older. But I realize that I must develop that appreciation now.
To consider: It seems as we study through the letter of 2 Timothy, this theme of disciplined study and reading of Scriptures comes up over and over again. I suppose it was that important to Paul, not just in his commands, but in his own life. Think about your future – when you have reached your twilight years, how important do you want the Scriptures to be in your life? What can/will you do now to help make that a reality later?