Caleb knew what he wanted: ‘Give me this mountain.’ He didn’t ask for an easy job. It was the most hilly part in the area, infested by giants. Israel’s enemies were strongest here the most difficult part of the whole Promised Land to subdue and Caleb at 85 said ‘Give me that.’ Caleb feared no foe and desired no rest. There’s a saying that a person of vision and faith does the most difficult thing now and leaves the impossible until later.

Fear looks at the problems, faith claims the opportunities. Sure there are problems. Our task is not for the faint-hearted. The giants are big, their strength superhuman, their reputation terrifying. We may be like grasshoppers compared with the great task lying before us. How desperately we need more Calebs with their faith and courage and know-how to lead us into the Promised Land. And now forty years after the abortive spying mission, this giant of faith was still hanging in there. Despite the huge problems, Caleb plus God was a majority. When we know God, and understand his faithfulness and power the difficulties assume their true proportions.

Save me from desiring the easy task, Lord. If the high country beckons, may I have the faith to claim it. For your glory. Amen.

CALEB: TWO FOOTNOTES

Caleb wholeheartedly followed the Lord. Joshua 14:14.

Caleb apparently had good relationships with others. He wasn’t part of the rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. There’s no hint about a leadership struggle between himself and Joshua: he was willing to be accountable. He wasn’t even elected second-in-command of the army when Moses died. But when he came to Joshua to claim his inheritance they had the sort of relationship that led Joshua spontaneously to bless him. Isn’t that nice?

Then there was his obedience. Caleb’s eulogy (Joshua 14:14): he ‘faithfully obeyed the Lord’ (GNB); he ‘wholly followed the Lord’ (RSV). I wonder if they’ll say that about me, about you? Obedience means that when our Lord, our Master, our King asks us to do something there are no questions…

When all your ideals are shattered; your hopes are broken, your dreams are dead. Occasionally there’s a brilliant insight into the Promised Land – you are beckoned forward. Sure there are many trials and tests; they seem like giants. But don’t turn back; don’t wander in the wilderness. The borders of the Promised Land are littered with the bodies of those who gave up. As your days so shall your strength be.

Lord, give me a little of Caleb’s faith, hope, courage, easy-going nature, and his obedience… I wonder what my eulogy will say? Amen.

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