READING: Joshua 13:1-15:12; Luke 7:36-8:8
I love it when I hear of God’s faithfulness to His children. We read that story throughout the scriptures, and we sometimes get to hear contemporary stories of God’s continued faithfulness to His people today. Testimonies both encourage and motivate us to serve God more fully.
That’s the way I feel when I read Caleb’s testimony in Joshua 14. Caleb had been God’s man for decades, and he could with integrity say that he was willing to stand alone if needed to be obedient to God. When most of the rest of his colleagues argued against taking the Promised Land, Caleb (and Joshua) stood in the minority—but they did so with faith and assurance: “My brothers who went with me caused the people to lose heart, but I followed the Lord my God completely” (Josh 14:8). Caleb simply trusted that God would keep His word to His children.
Some 45 years later, Caleb could still say with certainty, “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” (Josh 14:10-11). Caleb knew that he had life and strength only because God granted him both.
So, today’s reading talks about a man who’s faithful to God and a God who’s faithful to a man. They have a commitment to each other – a most unique relationship between the Creator and one He created. All of us who call ourselves Christians should kneel in wonder that God invites us to Him and then takes care of us without fail.
PRAYER: “God, You amaze me. Your faithfulness is unending.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Review and catch-up day