Philippians 1:22-26
Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. —Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
As someone who has been happily retired for the past 10 years, I am occasionally asked for advice by friends who are approaching retirement. If I had to boil it down to one main point, my advice would be, “Live with purpose.”
The life of the apostle Paul gives us a wonderful example. After encountering the resurrected Christ on the Damascus Road, Paul spent the remainder of his life proclaiming the good news of the gospel everywhere he traveled. Despite being beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned, Paul kept his focus on preaching Christ. He summed up his purpose by writing, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
Retirement usually provides more free time, so it’s important to reflect on our priorities and then use the extra time wisely. But that guidance isn’t just for retirement; our goal should be to live with purpose no matter how old we are or in what stage of life we find ourselves. As followers of Jesus, our purpose should be focused on living for him. Again, Paul sums it up well: “[Christ] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor. 5:15).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, guide us so that we keep our focus on living for you—through witness, service, and worship. May we bring glory to your name by living as courageous Christ-followers. Amen.
Thought for the day: I live with purpose when I follow the way of Jesus.
John D. Bown (Minnesota, USA)
