Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.’ “Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise– even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said.” (Joshua 14:6-12 NLT)
Sometimes, as people get older, we want to sit down — retire — or otherwise rest on our assets and reputations. We often get pushed in the background . . . our participation forgotten. That is what happened to Caleb whose value to Israel was equal to Joshua’s.
Yet, Caleb didn’t ask for more position, more power, or more recognition. We might think that Caleb, at age 85 and 45 years later, wouldn’t have remembered the Lord’s promise. But all he wanted was what the Lord had promised. He knew that he had been passionately faithful to the Lord, so he expected the Lord to be faithful to his promise.
What was the promise of God? The ground where you walked is yours . . . because you faithfully followed God. Despite the failures and wanderings of God’s people, the promise of God was still valid and unfulfilled. Despite his advanced age, Caleb believed that he was as strong as ever and could still fight any enemy as well as ever. He had confidence in God and in himself.
So, in effect Caleb said, “So give me what God has promised me! There may be giants in the land, BUT if the Lord is with me, then I will drive them out of the land — just as the Lord promised.” Oh that God’s people would possess Caleb’s confidence and faith today! Since God promised, I want it and I am certain that no obstacle will keep me from achieving his promise and purpose.
Dear Father, thank you for Caleb’s example of confidence and faith. Grant that we may possess such confident faith also. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in God’s promise and purpose,