Caleb's Blessing - Joshua 14:7, 10-11

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“I was 40 years old when Moses the Lord’s servant sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land, and I brought back an honest report.”

“As you see, the Lord has kept me alive these forty-five years as he promised, since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness. Here I am today, eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks is now as it was then. Joshua 14:7, 10-11 (CSB)

Things don’t always go right. In fact, sometimes they go off the rails. Even when we do it right.

(But they never go off God’s rails.)

Think about Caleb. Caleb was one of the spies that Moses sent to the land of Canaan. He explored the promised land with the other spies, and he was excited about what God was doing for them. He came back with a good report. Why? Because he trusted what God would do.

But most of his fellow spies came back with a bad report. Their impassioned advice was to not go into the land which the LORD God had promised them. They said there were giants in the land. Aren’t there always?

Caleb had a response.

Numbers 13:30 says, “Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, ‘Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!’ “

But the people wouldn’t listen to Caleb.

Because the people would not trust Him because they would not listen to Caleb, God punished the people. They had to stay in the desert making virtual laps around Mount Sinai for the next 40 years. All of the adults who saw God’s spectacular miracles in Egypt, the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea just to name a few, died in the the desert. Only the two faithful adults, Caleb and Joshua, were allowed to eventually see the promised land.

But here’s the thing. Caleb had to wait 40 more years to see God’s promise. He had to do the Sinai desert waltz just like all of the unbelievers, those who wouldn’t trust in God’s promises.

That seems so harsh, right?

And maybe Caleb had a horrible attitude in the wilderness. And maybe the Lord didn’t record it so that we could see his faith.

But the scripture never says that. The scripture records his faith.

When I read Caleb’s words in the book of Joshua, I don’t see a bitter man; I see a man who knows that God fulfills His promises in His time. And Caleb is ready. He’s eighty-five years old and ready to take on the Anakim, the giants that paled his fellow spies 45 years earlier. He says in Joshua 14:12 “Now give me this hill country the Lord promised me on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there, as well as large fortified cities. Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as the Lord promised.”

He’s waited 45 years for this. He has waited upon the Lord.

Now, I can speculate that he grieved and was sorely disappointed at having to stay in the desert. But by all accounts, he trusted the Lord, even though things didn’t go his way.

I so want to have Caleb’s attitude when things don’t go my way. And hey, sometimes, maybe most of the time, things don’t go my way because of my own lack of faith.

I have also learned that when I see my lack of faith, beating myself up is not helpful.

If I have the gift of recognizing my own lack of faith, that is a memo from the Lord; He is saying come here. Or better yet, He is saying, “I AM here.”

And I must see Him. Know His presence. For when I get quiet and know that He is God. He is Emmanuel. He is with me. He is God. I am not.

And now, I am prepared to offer my mustard seed bread. And watch Jesus do His work in me and others.

Today, I need the faith of Caleb. And the Lord can do that miracle in me as much as He wants.

Lord may I have the faith of Caleb. May I have his humble power. May I be found faithful in the difficult day, reaching out to you, believing in your promises. So often, I have been more like the wilderness Israelites who didn’t believe in your clear promises. Lord, I trust you. I know that you have called me to be yours. I trust you, cling to you even. Today. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.