a faith like caleb

lifejournal moment: in the Old Testament there’s a passage that tells the story of a man named Caleb.  he was one of the 12 spies that Moses sent to check out the Promised Land, to see what the inhabitants were like and gauge Israel’s chances of victory.  He and his buddy Joshua were the dissenting voices to the majority opinion.  While everyone else said, “There’s giants in them hills, so we should forget it” Josh and Caleb said, “There’s giants in them hills, we can’t miss.”

Because Israel listened to the majority, they spent the better part of the next 40 years walking around in the desert until every last man of fighting age (other than Josh and Caleb) were dead.  God then allowed Joshua to lead Israel on a 5 year war, taking the very land that He had promised them.

Caleb was 40 when he first walked through the land of the promise; he’s 85 now.  He’s been forced to endure the consequences of someone else’s sin and unbelief.  He’s walked through the desert for 40 years, fought battles, and patiently waited for his day.

As Joshua is parceling out the land to the various tribes of Israel, Caleb stands ready, waiting his turn before Josh.  He leads his delegation to Joshua’s camp, recounts his history, and delivers one of the most inspirational speeches ever:

“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.”

I want to have that kind of vision, that kind of faith and dogged persistance.  Caleb shines as an example of holding on the the promise that God had given him.  There are a couple of underlying principles at work here.

1.  Caleb heard the Lord. God promised that he would live to inherit the land he was promised.  That declaration from the Lord was enough to keep the fire burning in Caleb’s heart for 45 years.  The hope and faith that Caleb had in the fulfillment of the promise kept the vision and mission alive.

2.  Difficulties and delays did not result in discouragement. I wrestle with discouragement.  Do you?  When things don’t go as I thought they would, or they take longer than I expected, or I face unexpected complications, I tend to get distracted and discouraged.  Caleb plugged away for 45 years before he got his day.  45 years?  Wow…just wow.

3.  Caleb had to fight to get to the day of the promise, and there were more battles waiting him. There were still giants living in great fortified cities in the hills where Caleb was to make his home.  In order tocarve out a homestead, some giants would have to die.  Caleb didn’t let obstacles get in the way of his moving toward the promised land, no matter how long it took or how difficult it proved.

When I was a high school senior, I sang in a gospel choir for some show we had at school (Yep, it was the 80’s in GA, which is a whole different world!)  The song we sang was based on Galatians 6:9–

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

I want to have the kind of relationship with God that Caleb had, one that kept him moving forward, expecting God to breakthrough, attempting the impossible because God has spoken.  I want to hear the promise of the Lord, to see obstacles fall by the wayside, to fight the battles in the faith that God has stepped in to fight for me and with me.

If you’re like me, maybe you need to hear the promise of the Lord:  Hang in there.  Keep moving toward the promise.  Fight.  Be strong and courageous, for I am with you…