A New Vision: Who I Am in Christ

by Norma J. Goldman

What would it take for you to be the person God created you to be?

Psalm 139 boldly declares that God knew you before you were born, while you were being formed within your mother. He knew the exact number of days you would live. This much-loved passage affirms God’s role as Creator, that every person exists for a purpose, and that He has plans for us—plans for good and not for evil as Jeremiah 29:11 asserts.

These marvelous plans do not end with the American concept of retirement at 65. Retirement can be the beginning of a new life—one shaped, influenced, and guided through years of struggle—so that you can continue the process of becoming the person God created you to be.

A scant 50 years ago, a man of 65 was near the end of his life, and women were expected to reach only 71 years of age. What an amazing difference between that era and today, when a person of 65 in America can expect to live long enough to start another career. And many do.

American Culture Has a Different View

Unfortunately, culture views you in a much different, much less noble light. You were born to consume, to buy, to act and react to the stimulus of a fallen world, to be swept along by the fads of current thought. The culture says that in retirement you work little, consume more, and spend your days in the pursuit of pleasure and relaxation. What a contrast with the plans of God!

The good news is that you get to choose which view of life you will hold, and that view will guide your life, your decisions, your priorities, and your goals.

God Created You to Be Loving

God made you to love Him above all others and to love all manner of people He places in your path. He made you to love yourself in a holy and healthful way, respecting the fact that you were made in His image. Loving Him means you love the things He loves—justice, goodness, and mercy (Micah 6:8). It means you want to please Him by being obedient to His simple commands.

And it means you desire an intimate relationship with Him through His Son, guided by the ever-present Holy Spirit. It means you love those He loves. Whatever their station in life, whatever need or condition—you are to love them.

His Love Pushes You Into the World

His kind of love pushes us into the world to influence, to bless, and to make it a better place. It pushes us into dark corners of poverty and need, to places where disaster has struck, and to places where we can make a difference for Jesus’ sake.
It pushes us into schools where children need tutors and mentors. It pushes us into homes where fathers and mothers are absent, where children have never been introduced to His love. It pushes us into hospitals where people are desperate to know someone cares, into workplaces without Christian ethics.

Such a lifestyle of love is a compelling testimony of what it means to know Him. By acts of service and ministry, you reflect God’s love for a world separated from Him.

This is a simple, yet profound picture of God’s vision for us. How well does the photograph of your life match His picture? Whether you are just starting your life and career or making plans for retirement, use the days ahead to focus on your life—your decisions, priorities, and goals—to match His plans and purposes for you.

About the Writer: Former magazine editor Norma J. Goldman is a regular contributor to ONE Magazine. The award-winning columnist lives near Nashville, TN. Learn more about thriving in retirement at www.boardofretirement.com.