But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:20,21—NIV)

The American culture is eating the life out of those in their forties, making increasing demands on their time and strength. Pharaoh is commanding them to make bricks without straw. They are hanging on, hoping to make a lot of money so they can retire in comfort.

These men and women are at the peak of their ability. It is now they are to be serving the Lord in some significant manner. God has something for them if they will look to Him. It may mean abandoning their plans for retirement. Their golden moment is now.

Perhaps the greatest delusion of all, one that snares American Christians, is the idea we can make a lot of money and then retire and serve the Lord. Do not deceive yourself. One of the bedrock principles of ministry is a willingness to trust the Lord for enough money to continue.

It is not possible to store up a great deal of money so we do not have to trust God, and then bring the Word of life to people. The Word of life comes only from the servant who is crucified with Jesus and living by His Life, from nowhere else. Apostles dwell in the Divine fire, not in walnut-lined studies surrounded by their commentaries and Greek lexicons, receiving their retirement check every month so they do not have to trust the faithfulness of God.

Then we come to the senior citizens. "Of course we cannot expect the seniors to go as missionaries or serve in some significant manner. They are too tired." The truth is any person at about any age can find significant Kingdom work to perform if he or she will seek the Lord. The elderly (at seventy-two years of age I hate the term) can develop a ministry of prayer and intercession, or write to missionaries (or for the Internet), or work with the children. If they have served Christ during their life they are a fabulous source of wisdom and inspiration for the young. God will show them how they can serve in the Kingdom if they are willing to do so. The golden moment of the seniors is now.

You can be sure that whenever you decide to serve the Lord some seemingly insurmountable obstacle will confront you. You have to serve Him in the midst of your problems. There will never come a day when you have no problems and can serve the Lord conveniently. Your golden moment is now.

How tragic are those elderly people who now realize they have wasted their life waiting for the golden moment that never came. Now they wish they had served the Lord when they had energy and health. When they look to the Lord they know He is disappointed. They do not know what to expect when they die. They wasted their one and only chance to show their love for Christ.

To be continued.