SCRIPTURE: Joshua 14
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’ [Joshua 14:9] Wow, what an inspiring goy. Eighty five years old and still vigorous for the Lord. Caleb is an example of someone who is “sold out” on the Lord, even when others hold back. His confidence in the Lord comes through loud and clear in this passage. It reminds me of people I know in the church today who are amazing examples of vigorous devotion to the Lord and His cause, even at an old age.
It makes me think of the devotion of the first disciples, who made huge sacrifices to follow Jesus: Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. [Matthew 19:27-29] Is this an unspiritual, selfish request? Maybe, though we should not be so quick to judge. We all have mixed motives in what we do for the Lord, and in time the Lord exposes and purifies those motives, if we allow Him. Peter understands better as time goes on that His inheritance is heavenly, spiritual [see 1 Peter 1:3-9].
Yes, there is a reward for faithful service to the Lord. But the reward is the fringe benefit to the real treasure – being restored to God, to life, to wholeness. Having been restored to God, we have entered the eternal kind of life, the life of fullness and satisfaction and contentment and joy. We taste it hear now, and anticipate it fully when Jesus returns.
But this reward is reserved for those who seek God first, for God’s sake (not just for the perks). Those who love God, who love what God loves, who desire to be like God and live for God. Jesus is the perfect example of this, but Caleb is also a good (not perfect) example. I hope that when I am eighty-five, that I will be like Caleb – just as vigorous to go out to (serve) now as I was then. To do this, I need to start now, I need to invest myself now. What I am when I am eighty-five is the completion of what I strive for now!
PRAYER:
Lord, I want this kind of vigour for You, now and when I am eighty-five!
I have often joked that I do not want to grow old, that is, I have no desire to live a good, long time on this earth. What I am referring to is that I don’t want to grow old physically and wear out and feel frail and brittle.
But the difference here with the discussion of Caleb is that indeed, even if my body is physically frail and weak, my soul will continue to be strong and vibrant, serving the Lord. That, I have no problem with. I look forward to a very long and old length of days for my soul… eternity for my soul is something that is patterned into me. Thanks be to God.
Dare to be a Caleb! Caleb was a man who took God at His word and lived according to that word. That word was his life at 45 and at 85 – every day of his life. He walked standing on the promises of God. He lived GodStrong! I need to live that way, standing on the promises of God today, tomorrow and all my tomorrows. I need to live for Jesus and be in His power each day of my life no matter what age.
Help me to be GodStrong each day Lord!
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.