"So, Helen, what are your plans for retirement?"
The question stung. Partly because I don't like to admit that I am now half way through my working life. It's sobering to realise that I am (just) closer to retirement age than the moment I graduated and got my first "proper" job providing therapeutic support to adults with severe brain injuries. But partly because as soon as the honest answer to that question entered my mind, I knew it wasn't particularly godly!
I have a dream. It's to own a little cottage in the country where I can keep pigs and chickens and 2 beautiful horses. I want to spend my days cantering across the hills. And my evenings entertaining close friends, providing them with good food and good conversation. I want people who I care about to come and stay in my spare room. I want to revel in the wonder of no deadlines. I want to be able to read a book safe in the knowledge that there is absolutely nothing else I need to be doing. I want to be gloriously relaxed. Sound nice? You can come and stay if you like!
Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong in living in the countryside, enjoying God's creation, being hospitable and building up friendships. Nothing I want to do when I'm 67 is intrinsically sinful. But there is something missing from my dream. A massive omission from my plans. Serving Jesus.
Many of us plan for a happy retirement. We put money into a pension to ensure we are financially secure - we aim to make the most of our freedom from work to indulge in some travelling, new hobbies or supporting our family and friends in new ways. We tend to look forward to it. Not necessarily because we hate our jobs (I certainly don't hate mine!) but because we long for moments of ease and reduced responsibility.
However, not quite as many of us plan for a holy retirement. One that is set apart for God. One where we aim to store up treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:20).
I hear inspirational stories of people who go on overseas mission for the first time when they are in their 60s; people who use their biblical wisdom and experience to start up new evangelistic initiatives; those who devote themselves to mentoring the younger generation, taking on a new wave of one-to-one Bible reading partnerships and those whose children have flown the nest selling their homes and giving massive amounts of money to mission. And while I fully intend to keep going to church and keep serving until I drop, I rarely think of my retirement as the moment to start up new things in ministry. All too often, I imagine it's the moment that I say "I've done my bit - it's someone else's turn now, I'll just trundle along in the background".
But all believers - regardless of age - have gifts to be used in God's service. In the field where the harvest is plentiful but the workers few (Matthew 9:38), there is rarely justification for anyone downing tools. Retirement may be the moment to shift direction in ministry but it probably isn't the moment to wind down.
So as we plan for our retirement - be it 40 years or 40 days away - let's remember to plan for a Jesus-centred one. There is no greater calling on our later years than that.
