BY CHUCK GROSS, GRACE ATTENDER & VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE
Like most men and women, there was a season in my life where I was accountable to an organization that deemed me worthy of employment. For 30 years I was vocationally in the insurance industry. I consider what I did to be important. Today I am blessed to have the freedom of time to do what is important to me. Today I do things that are significant. The significance comes from investing my time, talent, training and treasure in God’s kingdom here on earth, knowing that soon I will be called home to be with the Lord. This is a 74-year-old man’s way of saying I will die and know for sure that I am going to heaven because of my faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for me through His virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross, burial and resurrection. Jesus paid the price for my sins, and I accept this fact. There is no other way than Jesus. By the way, if you missed Tim's message on aging, you will want to check it out here.
So, what do I do that is significant? First, I know that I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do the good works that He has prepared in advance for me to do. Knowing that God created me and knowing that He created me for a purpose, I work to discover the purpose.
So, how do I discover His purposes for my life? Jump into the deep end of the pool and start swimming. Do not stand and look at the water! Get in there and start thrashing around. Get off of the bleachers and get into the game. If the church is Plan A and there is no Plan B, do I have a choice? No.
Regardless of age, to go beyond a possible intellectual knowledge of God, one must trust that God will use You. A good starting point is viewing the world through the lens of the 6 broken places. I promise you that a close look at the 6 broken places will cause your soul to be moved by one of them. Follow that moving of your heart and start exploring. Raise your hand and shout to someone in charge, “Hey! I am interested in one of these.” Trust me, they will take you by the hand and walk with you into the place where God can use you as His hands and feet. Willingness and availability are the important ingredients for serving. God will take what You have to offer and use it. After all, He created you, and I am guessing He wants you to do the things He created you for.
Willingness and availability are the important ingredients for serving. God will take what You have to offer and use it!
Don’t act surprised if God takes you down an exciting path that is quite unexpected. Remember, God is bigger and smarter than we. He will not throw you into deeper water than you can manage. Trust Him.
Since arriving here at Grace in 2008, I have done exactly what I suggested above. My words are based on experience and not theory. I have been involved in Safe Families for Children, Bridges of Hope, New York City Relief, Guardian ad Litem and the Grace Governing Board. Because I am nearing the ¾ century mark, I have had to cut back. But, I am still involved in Grace Care Center (3 days a week), Monday Morning Men’s Bible Study, Together Today, and Dementia Friends Indiana. Plus, I continue to advocate for end of life education as well as a new project of capturing stories of people who are sacrificially walking with God. This last one does not have a name, but I am excited about what God has planned for me. I know He is ready to show up and show off. He will reveal a lot about Himself to me because I jumped into the deep end. I got off of the bleachers and into the game.
Stop reading this and do the same. It is a fun adventure. You can view an entire list of opportunities here. Not sure where to start, just email us and we will point you in the same direction!
To quote the epic movie UP, Adventure Is Out There. I will add that Adventure Is Out There With God.
Since writing this, Church won his battle against cancer and went to be with the Lord in May 2020.