All Or Nothin'

Dear Friends,

This morning my Bible reading took me to Joshua 14, where I came across the following statement:  “I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then.” (Joshua 14:11) The reason this statement stood out to me is that it came from a guy who was 85! His name was Caleb, and he’s one of my heroes in the Bible because he had not just physical longevity, but amazing spiritual longevity as well.

What was his secret? Caleb fully followed God. And what Caleb had in his life, I want in my own. I want spiritual longevity. I want my walk with God to be a long and fruitful one. I don't want it to be something that starts and stops. 

So as I pondered that this morning, it occurred to me that if I want what Caleb had, I need to do what Caleb did. If I want spiritual longevity in my life, then I need to fully follow God. I must give Him 100 percent.

However, that’s easier said than it is done - isn’t it? The unfortunate reality of life is that when our lives are in trouble, or we have a need, we expect God to drop everything, run to us, and take care of our problems. But when it comes to us dropping everything for Him, we struggle to make it happen. That’s why we can have plenty of time for our friends, or sports, or hobbies, or working out - but are too busy to read and study the Bible, or spend time in prayer, or make it to church. In other words, we want and expect 100% from God, but aren’t willing to give Him the same.

That's what I was challenged with this morning as I read about Caleb. If I want to fully follow God, then I've got to really do it. And if my heart is right with God, it will show up in the way I spend my time and in the way I live my life. If I am fully following God, then just like Caleb, I'll want to give my best to God rather than my leftovers. That was the secret to Caleb's spiritual longevity, and it's the secret to ours as well.

So today, pray with me that we will all live like Caleb chose to live. When we are tempted to give our best to anything other than God, let’s remember Caleb’s example and once again commit to fully following God with all we are and all we have.

Amen?

Daniel