Yesterday I joined The Marshallairs, a singing group in our city. I didn’t know what to expect nor did I know if I would really like to join. I found everybody was a senior citizen, but I knew about that. What was really nice was that everyone seemed to enjoy singing and many of them had a lot of musical knowledge. There were people there that were dancers, singers, artists, writers, all kind of put on the shelf because of their age!

It seems that folks still think of 65 as the time to retire, sit in their rocking chairs and wait for death. These people are not going to do that and most of them were well past age 65! The younger folks around us seem to think we are “over the hill”, and our talents are not needed anymore. It’s sad really, because all of the singers in The Marshallaires have much to give and should be allowed to use the talents they have.

When I think that my children are reaching the age of 65, I wonder. I know they have much to give the world. Will they retire? I hope they will keep on keeping on. We are living much longer now than people did in past generations. I think I would go for a much later date than 65 as the age to retire. In fact I don’t think we should have a retirement age.

Moses took the children of Israel out of Egypt when he was 80 years old. I read about him complaining about the bad things the children of Israel did and that he didn’t feel he was capable in speaking, but I never read that he thought he was too old to do the work God wanted him to do. I don’t think we should have the word “retire” in our vocabulary either. God has given each of us so many days to live. We have no idea how long we are to live, but we should keep doing the things we are capable of doing until that day he calls us. The Marshallaires feel that way. How about you?

I am reading Billy Graham’s devotional called “Hope”. In it he says “ A boat doesn’t sink because it is in the water but because water gets in the boat. Ever since I read that, It has been on my mind. Is there any water in your boat? If there is, you’d better get it out before your boat sinks.

The Bible tells us that we are traveling on one of two roads. One is wide and easy to travel on, full of interesting things to see, and fun to try out for ourselves. The other road is narrow and rough, but has Jesus as captain. Traveling on it you will have peace and happiness in this life and you will have eternal life forever. Your boat will sink on the first road but your boat will sail on with Jesus taking you through the rough spots in the second road.

How in the world did that water get into my boat you ask? It is easy and you almost don’t recognize it. When you missed that church service for reasons like-”Oh but I don’t want to miss that game on TV. Wasn’t it easy to miss the second service? Drip, drip drip, a little water just entered your boat. And remember, you watched that television show you knew wasn’t one which you should watch, but “just one time won’t hurt”. It was easier, wasn’t it, to watch it the next time and the time after that. Drip, drip, a little more water just entered your boat.

How about that friend who invited you to that night club? “The guys in the band are just great. You’ll really enjoy it!” The friend had said. And you did enjoy it. You drank too much and you enjoyed dancing with that girl. “’But I won’t tell my wife,”you said. A lot more water just entered your boat, and it was a whole lot easier to go with the friend another time and the time after that too!

“How in the world can I get the water out of my boat,” you ask? That’s easy too. All you have to do is call on Jesus. Say you are sorry you got so much water into your boat, but you don’t want to sink. Tell him you know he died for every sinner and he died for you. And also tell him you want to get back on that narrow road and you do want Jesus to be your captain of your boat from now on. That’s all. Your boat will lose all the water and you’ll go sailing, you and Jesus from that day on.