Thought for the Month - July 2005

Retiring Offering - By Pastor Ian Wilson

Preparation for retirement is something Government has urged for many years. It seems that many of us are just living too long and the state pension will soon be unaffordable by government. Many options are being considered the most likely outcome according to one financial advisor will be raising the state pension age to seventy.
The thought of working until seventy doesn’t appeal to me at all!

A number of years ago I joined a pension scheme which was a final salary scheme. That means, at retirement you are guaranteed a pension, which is directly proportional to your salary.
One financial expert told me, “It’s a fantastic pension I couldn’t touch it.” A friend of mine who was offered the same pension was told by his advisor, “It’s too good to be true.” A number of weeks ago I received a letter inviting me to an urgent meeting about my pension.
The pension fund was in deficit and urgent action had to be taken.
The scheme was wound up and a substantial amount of money had to be put into the scheme in order for it to meet its obligations. I have now had to join a stakeholders pension scheme, which is basically a savings policy with a fancy name. It would seem that the whole scheme was indeed too good to be true.

It is good to prepare for the future and its important we consider our needs for retirement.
The most important preparation however, is not concerning our financial requirements, but our spiritual needs. It’s so important that we prepare to meet God as the prophet Amos exhorts us [Amos 4 v 12].
Scripture speaks of two roads on which we are travelling. There is a broad way, which leads to destruction, and a narrow way, which leads to life. [Matt 7 V 12-14]

We are all born travelling on the broad way and we need to trust Christ as our saviour in order to pass over to the narrow way.
Jesus made this possible by his death on the cross. We can now have eternal life if we trust in him and best of all, it’s absolutely free.

Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

It sounds too good to be true but this is one preparation for the future that is absolutely guaranteed. God guarantees it.

Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began"

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!