7 Forty years old was I when Moses the
servant of the Lord sent me from
Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it
was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went
up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed
the Lord my God…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. -Joshua 14: 7, 8, 10, 11 (KJV)
I was concerned after my last blog entry that some
of you may have gotten the impression that my father had passed away.
I apologize if I conveyed this. I did not mean to speak of dad
in the past tense. My father is alive, living with my mom in Ohio,
and doing exceptionally well for 87 years old. I can only hope
that if I reach such advanced years that I too will enjoy such good
health and quality of life.
When I think of people who have reached what we would
refer to as elderly, I consider Caleb of the Old Testament. Caleb
was 40 when Moses selected him as one of the twelve spies to search
out the Promised Land. 45 years later the people
of Israel were ready to finish the task of taking and settling in the
Promised Land, and Caleb, then 85, spoke of the vitality with which
the Lord had blessed him. What I sense Caleb was communicating
was this; I am now 85 and I am just as fit as I was in my 40’s, so
give me a sword and lets’ show these Canaanites a thing or two.
That is loosely translated, yet that is the gist of it. He was
willing to take on a challenge many younger men would have avoided.
I love this no quit, go forward, never stop growing,
and never stop fighting attitude Caleb displayed. To sit down
and do nothing will result in a stagnant, dull, and hollow life.
To live the abundant life to which Jesus Christ has called us involves
rising up and going forward over the long haul of life. Like Caleb,
do not fear taking on new challenges and new adventures. Serving
the Lord is a blessing in which we continue to grow in the knowledge
and grace of Christ. God is calling His followers to rise up in
faith and walk forward with a renewed sense of Christ’s power.
Regardless of whether you are 20 or 80, the Lord has a unique plan for
your life. Settle for nothing less than the fullness of God’s
grace in Jesus Christ. Stop surviving and start living the abundant
life in Christ today.
Now is the time and today is the day. It is
a big world out there with spiritual needs all around. The Lord
is calling us to shine His light in a world darkened by sin and evil.
So, what are you waiting for? Get up and get going – in
Jesus’ name.
