trust like Caleb

I don’t know if there’s a more clear case of the rewards of trusting God than the story of Caleb. Caleb was on the original reconnaissance patrol into Canaan, and with Joshua was the only one who trusted God enough to attack the strong people they found there. Because the rest didn’t, the Israelites would wander the desert another 40 years, until that generation died off. 

But then, all those decades later, Caleb goes to Joshua and says, "Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty- five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty- five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” (Joshua 14:10-11) Caleb asks for the territory with the most difficult enemies, and conquers it, still trusting God against what looks like overwhelming odds.

It shames me, for two reasons. The first is, I don’t trust like that. I look at something scary and say, “Nope.” I gauge the risk as one step in deciding if I think it’s God’s will. Obviously, with that kind of opposition this is a closed door, right? Aren’t those boogie men hints from God not to go that way? I wonder how many invitations from God I’ve refused over the years because I saw them through my eyes and not Caleb’s.

The other reason, which may be linked to the first, is I’m not really looking for strenuous assignments. I like to say, “Life doesn’t always have to keep getting harder.” With my current attitude I don’t see myself at age 85 volunteering for the toughest job God’s people face. 

It’s because I think too much like the world, and I look too far down the road. I would love to learn how to take a day at a time, doing what God gives me today, trusting his providence for tomorrow. So far, I don’t live that way, but I’m working on it.