Be Someone of Heart
“… except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly” (Deuteronomy 1:36).
A big part of victorious living is Spirit-given whole heartedness.
A new naval recruit asked his officer for a pass to attend a wedding. The officer gave him the pass, but informed the young man he would have to be back by 1900 hours Sunday. “You don't understand, sir,” said the recruit. “I’m in the wedding.” Tank grey eyes blazed into the lad, then in burning monotone the reply: “No, son, you don’t understand, you’re in the Navy!”
Caleb would have made a marvelous midshipman. By God’s grace, Caleb’s life was a picture of the ship which kept its course - rough sea or smooth. Crisis times often do not create character in someone, they reveal and test what is already there. Six times this distinctive title: “wholeheartedly” is put on Caleb. Could this be a secret of a life that never goes stale for Christ?
The LORD made Caleb a man of unwavering faith. Completely and unreservedly he trusted in the presence and power of the God of the Angel Armies. His fearlessness rested on faith. Caleb believed that God could…and God did. At the age of 40 he and Joshua were on the short end of a minority report. Ten to two was the vote. Read all about it in the book of Numbers, chapter 13.
The majority saw the giants … the two men of faith saw God. The ten saw their own weakness … the two saw the power of the LORD. What Caleb inwardly believed he outwardly confessed, irrespective of consequences. He lived up to his name: Caleb, which means “all heart.” He pleased God for he dared to do and believe what God called him to.
In what area of life have you begun to live half-heartedly for the LORD? Are you flagging in fortitude for him? Living in a COVID fog of funk? Look to the one who gave Caleb his courage. See your LORD who “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Consider Christ as his love, forgiveness, and grace for you shoots adrenaline into your soul.
Caleb was eighty-five years old when he reminded Joshua of a promise that Moses had made to him to “give me this mountain” (KJV) when they reached the Promised Land. Eighty-five!! And he still wants to take a mountain for his Master … with giants. Maybe you are not there yet but this, my friend, is how we want to be for our Jesus even now - whole hearted.
