2 Samuel 12:29
“So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; and he fought against it and captured it.”
David goes back to what he's good at and what he's done his whole life, battle. Early on he fights Goliath and wins. This was his most famous act. Even those who don't read the bible know this story. He's anointed king then goes to work for Saul. The king puts him in charge of the soldiers and wins many victories. When he becomes king he continues to fight.
He got into trouble when he stopped fighting. 2 Samuel 11:1 says, "In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, David sent out Joab and his servants with the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem." This is when David saw Bathsheba and all his problems began. He stepped out of his routine, he stopped doing what he was gifted for.
Retirement is a notion our culture has invented. While I don't think it's sinful, I don't think it's biblical. God created us for work. Ecclesiastes 2:24 says, "Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God." God gave work as the task of Adam and Eve. This was before the fall. God called it good.
The bible does say that part of the result of the fall is that work isn't as efficient as it was supposed to be. Genesis 3:18 says, "Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field." Frustration has entered into work. It's still biblical to do it. Proverbs speaks much about the sloyh and the curses brought on by the lack of work. 13:4 says, "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied." The desire is there, but not the work, so there is emptiness.
I would agree that one should cut back as one's strength wanes. I could also see God redirecting with a different task. But to cease from work doesn't seem like a good idea. Pastor Chuck said that retirement wasn't biblical and worked into his mideighties and preached on a Sunday and died on a Wednesday.
Why is work so important? It gives us purpose and a sense of significance. Some would call it a reason to live. I could attest to that. The job I've had for the last 30 years has been a joy. It's been better and better. I feel as though I have an impact.
What if one dislikes his job? I feel if one is a believer God would guide to a better one. If not that, then He would provide some joy whatever it may be. I know some are enslaved. It must be miserable. However, God would put joy in ones heart whatever one's task.
The way the bible speaks of work is as a gift (Ecclesiastes). Our present culture has gone adrift from the protestant work ethic. We've seen it in Europe with the shortened work weeks and the earlier retirements. We don't herald it as good to our youth. So many homeless are young people on drugs for fulfillment. They don't realize the blessing of work. Others aren't driven by it. They seek to work from home and have much emptiness.
David fell into sin by not working. There is a saying, "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop." While not from the bible, the concept is. Proverbs 18:9 says, "Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys." Why is this? God created us to work. When we are idle, we are opposing Him in a mild way. Whenever we oppose Him He withhold His presence and protection. The devil has an opening. God doesn't do this to punish us, but to teach us.
Lord, thank You for the blessing of work. Thank You for such a great job and the fulfillment and friends that You've provided through it.