Wholly Followed
Joshua 14:10-15 KJV
(10) And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
(11) As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
(12) Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
(13) And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
(14) Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
And it wasn’t like he was just sitting back in sweet repose this whole time. No, this was a man who, at forty, chose to go completely against popular opinion and actually believe the promise of God – that he would possess the land he went to spy out. Then, after outliving all the unbelievers in the in the ultimate survival of the wilderness, he was right in the middle of the battles for occupation. And finally, while many of the ‘athletes’ half his age were having knee problems and other ailments of activity and conflicts, he was no less functional or powerful at 85, and ready to take personal possession of his real estate inheritance.
A few things came to mind while reading about Caleb this morning: While first in line for the trusting game, he was dead last for the whining and complaining game; His ability to eventually qualify for the land was completely dependent upon what he did in the mean time, otherwise he would have died off or have been so stowed up he could never enjoyed it at all; Because he wholly followed the Lord it directly affected the discipline of his lifestyle and the maintenance of his health- it wasn’t just by the Spirit that he was still strong, but also by the exercise, diet and care applied to his God-given body; Though not in possession of any landscape for those forty five years, he was in continual possession of a promise that would sustain and preserve him more than any other- His relationship and nearness to His God; And finally, what would have happened even after all those years had he not reminded God of His promise, as it wasn’t until he placed his claim that he possessed it?
To come into a relationship with God is to come into a realm of promise that is not without its share of unpopularity, wilderness, opposition, and passage of time. Not one of us is without an assurance of not only a heavenly possession, but also victory, provision and possession here on this earth. So much of our ability to actually and eventually enjoy much of what is ours, though, has everything to do with what we’re doing with the promise of His presence right here and right now, and how it is affecting our life discipline and character. Where there is true belief and trust, there is an ability to act as if it is already done and the identity of the ‘owner’ is who we are long before the claim is made for the land. The body and existing possessions are treated with the honor and appreciation of a treasured gift just as significant as any other to come, while potential discouragements and setbacks are hardly even noticed compared to the largeness of the existing yet to be seen promise. For the one who hast chosen to cast the care of the wilderness and opposition upon the One who is their continual possession there will be the capacity to possess with joy and health the fullness of all that is rightfully theirs at the appointed time and when they so choose. Every moment to that point, though, will be filled with the contentment of one who has wholly followed in unwavering strength and confidence.