Psalm 119: I Shall Keep It Unto the End

JOSHUA ALEXANDER

The retirement age for people in the United States who were born after 1960 is 67 years old. The mandatory retirement age in China and Vietnam is 60 years old, and the rest of the world falls closely in this age range. What about the retirement age of a Christian? When should a Christian decide that it is time for their service in God’s kingdom to come to an end? In Psalm 119:33, the psalmist makes this powerful request, followed by a promise. “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end.” The psalmist declares that he will keep God’s law until the very end. There is no retirement age for God’s servant, and the spiritually minded person would not desire such. Let's look at two biblical heroes of the faith who stayed strong unto the very end.

Moses

Was Moses a perfect man? Not in the slightest. Moses had problems just like the rest of us. However, God frequently refers to him as “My Servant” (Num. 12:7, 8, Joshua 1:2, 7, 2 Kings 21:8, Mal. 4:4). Could there be a greater title than that of a servant of God? Moses is mentioned 79 times in the New Testament and 704 times in the Old, making him one of the most referenced people in the Bible. Listen to what is said about Moses concerning his death; 

“So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.” “And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.” “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel” (Deu. 34:5, 8, 10-12). 

What character he must have had! To have such a personal relationship with God and for the people to care for him so. Moses was a faithful servant of God. Not perfect, but faithful.

The Apostle Paul

Was the Apostle Paul a perfect man? Not in the slightest. Paul had problems just like the rest of us. However, he was a strong servant of God unto the very end of his life. He started off persecuting the church (Acts 8:1) and ended his life as a martyr for being a servant of the most high. Paul was thankful for the opportunity to be a servant, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 1:12-14). That word “ministry” is the Greek word “diakonia” from which we get the word “Deacon”, which simply means a servant. Listen to what Paul told his beloved son in the faith Timothy as he was nearing death.

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8). What a blessing it would be to say the same, to have the kind of peace and assurance that Paul had.

When does a Christian retire? If we are talking about slowing down on physically demanding work which has become difficult over the years, that is one thing. However, every Christian has a responsibility to give God their full devotion. He deserves it. He had bestowed upon us countless spiritual blessings, and we should learn to be ever thankful to Him for what he has done for us. May we live our lives in such a way that we can always be called by the greatest title there is, a servant of the most high God (Acts 16:17)!