Are You “Occupying”?
As I write this, I am in Pennsylvania on our first speaking tour of the year. My brother speaks; I run the book tables. We’ve worked together for a long time, and I praise God that we are still able to do what we do.
I will be fifty this year which is causing a lot of reflection. From here on out, I view each decade as a milestone. Obviously, fifty is big because it’s half a century. As George Younce used to say, I most likely have more years behind me than I have ahead of me. So what will I do with the years that I have left?
I’m thankful that, for the most part, I don’t feel like I have wasted my life. I pray that I don’t start now. I know a lot of people retire to their recliners with remotes in hand, but the people who inspire me are those who are older than me and are continuing to faithfully serve the Lord. I’m not sure Christians ever really retire. It seems like there is always someone who needs encouragement or counsel. So it’s important that those of us who know God stay close to Him, both praying and reading our Bibles, so that we have something to pass on to others.
I may be older than you; I may be younger; but we are all aging. We all have a job to do, and that job is to “occupy” until He comes. So, what does that look like? It will look different for everyone.
How you “occupy” depends on what God has called you to do, and that calling will be different for everyone, but God has called every one of His children to do something for Him. If you are in a job that you hate, pray about that. Are you where God wants you, or are you merely doing something to make money? If you find yourself yelling at your kids, evaluate why. A mom recently told me that she had to stop taking naps because inevitably her children would wake her up, and she would get annoyed. Be in tune to figure out the root of your frustration so that you may stop and not sin.
The year is still young. Tomorrow is another day. If you’ve been living life for yourself, it’s not too late to regroup. That’s the wonderful thing about our Father. We can always stop, repent, and change what we’re doing. He is always there to help get us back on the right track. So, as we go through another year, let’s “occupy” together.
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