When I see him, he is an 85-year-old man looking to the prize set before him. He is standing looking off in the distance and asking for the prize, he was promised 45 years earlier. He says he is as strong now as he was 45 years ago, and I would not test him one bit. His speech is domineering and sincere; he has waited for this day. He has fought battles, wars and people to get here and now he wants what is his.
On this Earth, I will never meet my favorite veteran. He has long since passed, but the words of his life become a beacon for mine. He had a desire so bold and so powerful, he lived up to one of the meanings of his name, “bulldog.” His words bring motivation centuries later; we just need to read them.
His name is the same as my son. In fact, I was insistent that my son have the same name. So, what is his name – Caleb!
Caleb should not just be remembered as the one with Joshua telling the people they could take the land, he should also be remembered as one who obtained his inheritance!
Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him,
“You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD my God.
And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’ And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness.
And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the LORD said.”
Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.
Caleb knew what he wanted, but he knew he must be a man of action. Over 40 years he waited. He walked the wilderness with those who kept him out of the promise land and everyday he waited for his inheritance.
Even while in his elderly age, Caleb wanted the gift, even though he would have to drive out the inhabitants of the land. His faith in God was working each day knowing the promise was ahead. Do you and I have the convictions of Caleb to press on to the prize which is ahead?
Let us remember the words of Paul,
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3.12-14; ESV)
Also, remember the words of the Hebrews writer,
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12.1-2; ESV)
Notice the Hebrews writer makes two distinct points: (1) there are weights (things that slow us down) and (2) there are sins. Normally, our focus is on avoiding sins, but what about those things that slow us down? Are there things, circumstances, situations, or choices that are hindering you in your spiritual life?
Lisa Brennan-Jobs is the daughter of Apple’s famed founder, the late Steve Jobs (1955-2011). She recently wrote about her final visit with the father from whom she was often estranged. About a month before he died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56, Lisa heard words of regret spill from the emaciated, dying icon.
He told her, “I didn’t spend enough time with you when you were little. I wish we’d had more time.” She told him it was fine, but he replied, “No, it’s not okay. I didn’t spend enough time with you. I should have spent the time. Now it’s too late.” He looked into her eyes, teared up, and then said, “I owe you one.”
During their final weekend together, he repeated that phrase over and over, “I owe you one.” Sadly, regrets often leave us with an overwhelming sense of impossible indebtedness.
Have you read of Peter’s regret? Remember Luke 22.61-62 – “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.”
Peter’s regret for his decision did not mean he stopped living. In a few short weeks, it would be Peter’s words to echo throughout all time on the day of Pentecost.
Do you have any regrets?
If so, are you letting your spiritual regrets stopping you from knowing Jesus? Peter didn’t. Even though he made a mistake, he knew there was much more in store for his life because of Christ.
Most people have heard of Warren Buffet. Mr. Buffet is not only among the world’s wealthiest individuals, but he’s also established himself as one of the biggest philanthropists by giving away over $30 billion.
Being the most successful investor of all time obviously seems complicated, but Mr. Buffett has stated, “There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.”
Mr. Buffet’s statement apples to many areas of life. While he was speaking of investing, the concept can be applied to spiritual things as well.
Take the statement that people can make easy things difficult and apply it to evangelism. Many times, Christians have made evangelism more difficult that it is. People can develop systems, procedures, checklists and techniques, but many times the greatest results are found in the easiest ways.
Do you remember John chapter 1?
In John chapter 1 a personal invitation was given to go and see Jesus. There was no class or checklist, it was the simple passion that someone had as they met Jesus.
Have you mentioned Jesus to anyone this week? Have you, out of your passion for Christ, shared with them the gospel?
Let’s not get so weighted down with techniques that we forget to speak from our hearts about Jesus.
Possibly from the time many of us were younger we heard the word “priority.” We heard it in school regarding studying and paying attention in class. In church services we heard it when it comes to putting God first. At work, we heard it used regarding projects that needed to be accomplished.
A little “priority” history – In the 1400s, “priority” came into the English language. It meant the “very first thing,” and was singular. It wasn’t until the 1900s that people began to pluralize this word and speak of “priorities.”
The word “priority” is of Latin origin and there does not seem to be any plural form of the word. In fact, the term “priorities” in Latin is a different word.
The singular nature of the word meant there was one thing greater than all the rest. Rather than having one priority or one first thing, it was illogically believed that we could have multiple things that were of greatest importance.
In truth, we can create the illusion of having many things being our priority but in fact we’re declaring nothing is. Sometimes we even us the term, “multi-tasking” to give us a reason for multiple priorities.
Regarding Bible translations, the New Living Translation of Matthew 6:33 captures this idea well with, “make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” Everything else is secondary – maybe very important, but secondary.
The Wall Street Journal reported on a study published in the December 2017 Journal of Happiness Studies and suggested “getting married is one of the best ways to cement a couple’s long-term happiness.”
Using research spanning the past two decades and more than 300,000 people, the study sought to discover if marriage causes happiness or if happy people are more likely to get married and stay that way. The simple conclusion is “a close marital bond spurs long-term happiness.”
The Wall Street Journal reporter noted, “That level of commitment, formalized by a ritual and a legal document, may be one reason why the advantages of marriage trump those of just living together.” The article was appropriately titled, “For Happiness That Lasts, Take Those Vows.”
The Bible speaks of the marriage commitment in Genesis 2.24, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” The commitment to the husband (man) and wife (woman) are to each other. Their unity is a oneness bound by God. Mark 10.9 shows the firmness of the marriage bond with God’s actions, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
While the marriage is joined through God’s actions, there are still actions involved in the lives of the husband and wife. Paul speaks of these two actions (love and submissiveness) in Ephesians 5.22-33.
The two components Paul mentions are shown to be as strong as Christ’s love for the church. The happiness that we have as Christians is based on long-term significance. Happiness in marriage is founded on the long-term commitment as well.
