September 6, 2013 (Friday)
At 18 years of age, I became an associate pastor of a church and by age 20 I was pastor of a church. The thought of retirement some day was totally repugnant to my young mind. “Ill never retire,” I thought to myself, “I’ll preach until I die.” Such are the musings of youth.
After many years in the ministry, I did retire after all, in February, 1996 — 17 years ago. Since retirement, the Lord has blessed me with continued opportunities to serve as pastor and interim pastor and in other ways. Recently I became an interim pastor once again. This week God is allowing me to visit, counsel people, help plan a wedding, help with a funeral service, lead a prayer meeting, and preach at worship services. Yet I gladly call myself a “retiree.”
I’m very thankful the Lord has blessed me with additional avenues of Christian service during these years of retirement. I am not alone in this. Throughout my entire ministry, I have been surrounded by faithful servants of the Lord of all ages who have been and are shining examples of commitment to Christ. I am merely trying to walk in their footsteps. “What a fellowship! What a joy divine!”