Retirement from work – longed for by... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Even to your old age, I am He, and even to grey hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Matthew 28:20; Isaiah 46:4

Retirement from work – longed for by many as a release from professional stress – also has its downsides: monotony and loneliness. In a letter to the editor of her newspaper, a disappointed woman complains that she cannot attend the senior citizens’ meeting of her former company because she is severely disabled. Yet she wishes so much to stay in touch with her former colleagues.

Is this an isolated case? No, many people have such experiences. And even if you are able to take part in an excursion or a celebration of your old company, being alone afterwards often feels to be all the more painful.

If you are also in this situation, we have good news for you. There is someone who wants to share your loneliness! The first quotation at the top of the page is from Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. He spoke these words before leaving the earth and returning to heaven. And centuries before, God had said to His people, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2)!

When we think of the many ailments that become especially oppressive in old age, we become particularly aware of the great value of these promises. Those who know Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord are never alone – never abandoned. Therefore, even in difficult circumstances and even in their last hour, they can, in faith, look ahead with confidence.

God’s promises apply to all who are counted among His children, who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Today’s reading: The Song of Solomon 8:1-14 · Mark 9:38-50