Impertinence

Daily Reading: Joshua 14

Scripture Focus: Now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day. (Joshua 14.12)

Devotional Thought: Sometimes we think of the impertinence of youth, but Caleb had the impertinence of old age! At 85 he said, "Give me this hill country!"

It is not surprising that Caleb was so brash. He was a confident fellow! And why not? He served an awesome God. Forty years prior when he returned from the spying expedition into Canaan, Caleb brought a good report, but the other ten spies brought back a negative report. In response, God himself had promised that land to Caleb.

"That day" 40 years prior, Caleb displayed his...

• Faith. He believed what God told him. He had no reason to doubt the word of the God who had delivered the Israelites out from under the heavy hand of Pharaoh.

• Fortitude. He went against the flow and testified what was on his heart. He could not be dissuaded by the nay-sayers surrounding him.

• Foresight. Like his ancestor, Abraham, before him, Caleb was looking for "a city with foundations." He looked beyond the immediate circumstances and focused on the promised future.

"Now" Caleb received what he had long anticipated...

• Length. Caleb believed that in order for the promise to be fulfilled, God would have to keep him. God did just that! He kept Caleb alive those long years of wandering and warfare. While he watched his brothers die in the wilderness one-by-one, Caleb knew God would keep him.

• Strength. He testified that though he was advanced in years, he was still strong in mind and body. He was able to plan and then to execute the plan. Not many 85 year olds have that kind of stamina! He received it as a gift from God!

May we have Caleb's impertinence: "Now give me this hill country!"

Prayer: Lord, give me the faith, the fortitude and the foresight of Caleb, that I might live long and strong for you! Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 39.7-13

7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11 When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”