"Spiritual Checkup"
Few people look forward to their annual physical. Who wants to be poked, stuck, probed and interrogated? To make matters worse, you have to pay several hundred dollars to have it done. I do it, not because I want to do it, but because I know that it may well save me from something worse than the physical.
When it is all over, the doctor tells me what I need to do. In my case the advice given generally has something to do with food. My doctor has yet to tell me that a large plate of BBQ ribs with a large side of fries is good for me. Even worse, he has never told me that the calcium in the half a gallon (Yes, I mean a half of a gallon.) of ice cream that I would love to eat every night would help build my bones. Rarely, do I hear what I want to hear. Once I receive all the information, it belongs to me and I must choose whether I will heed it or ignore it. If I ignore it and the results are bad for me, the blame is on me.
The Apostle Paul writes about another type of examine in II Corinthians 13:5. His recommended examine is not of the physical kind but rather, of the spiritual kind. He wrote, “Test yourself to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you __ unless indeed you fail the test” (NASB)?
Paul doesn’t give specific tests to conduct but he does make clear that our examination should show evidence of the presence of Christ in our life. Rather, than giving a long list of things to observe, let me suggest three questions that would be helpful for you determine your spiritual welbeing. One, do you have an active prayer life or do you only pray when there is an emergency? Two, do you have a desire to know more about God’s Word or does it join the other coffee table books that you may have to decorate your table? Three, do you have a desire to be around others of like faith and to share in the fellowship of the body, the Church, or do you claim that you can do better going it alone? If your answer to these questions is never, rarely or only in times of great need, you may need to give more attention to your spiritual health, because God is clear that each one of these things is essential to the spiritual well-being of believers.
We can see these things prescribed plainly in God’s Word. I Thessalonians 5:17 reads, “pray without ceasing” (NASB). II Timothy 3:16 reads, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work ”(NASB). Hebrews 10:23-25 reads, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (NASB).
This brings us to the same point I find myself when I go for my annual physical. I am faced with a decision to heed the doctor’s directions or to ignore them. God has clearly given His directions and we face the choice of following them or ignoring them. To ignore them is to choose to go through life without the full spiritual vitality that He desires for us to have. One choice leads to frustration; the other leads to the fullness of life that God promises in His Word. The choice is ours.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Reflections for January 7, 2011
"Return To Our First Love"
In chapters two and three in the Book of Revelation the Apostle John writes to the seven churches of Asia Minor. He first addresses the church in Ephesus. He commended it for carrying on its work in the face of great difficulties, for rejecting false teachers, for speaking against sin, and for not growing weary. It was loyal in its practices and doctrines and, like most or our churches today, it thought it was a church with which God would be pleased.
Following his commendations John pointed out one major complaint. It is found in Revelation 2:4. It is a complaint that all of our churches should heed. John wrote, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (NASB). What was John saying? He was saying that they had become so mechanical in their motions that they had lost the miraculous devotion that they had experienced when Jesus Christ first became real to them. They had become caught up in their rituals and they had lost sight of the reality of the relationship that they had experienced with the One who made it all possible.
Does this sound like any church that you know? I think we would have to agree that many churches are so caught up in budget, programs, image, and hundreds of other things that they do not have energy left to simply bask in the good news of the Gospel. It is not that churches are doing the wrong things. It is that they are too often not doing the main thing. We would be wise to learn from the Shorter Catechisms derived from the Westminster Confession of Faith. In answer to the question, what is the chief end of man, it says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
When was the last time you glorified and enjoyed the person of Jesus Christ? Most of us have been so busy doing the business of the Church that we have not had any energy left to really enjoy the blessings of the church. Consequently, we have not fully enjoyed the peace, joy and abundance that He wishes us to have.
The good news is that John gives us a solution to this dilemma in the next verse. He wrote, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (NASB5a). You could call this the “3R’s” of restoring the joy of our salvation. First, we need to remember the joy and excitement we felt when Christ first became real to us and we invited Him into our hearts to be our Savior and Lord. Second, we need to repent of becoming too busy to have time to spend in developing our personal relationship with Him. Third, we need to return to the things we were doing at the beginning of the relationship. We need to devote ourselves to private time for reading the Word, praising God for our blessings, and praying privately to Him about all of our needs.
Imagine if every church followed John’s instructions to remember, repent and return to the way things were spiritually in the beginning. For to happen, it must start somewhere . We may not be able to speak for our entire church, but each one of us can speak for himself or herself. If enough of us would follow John’s admonition to remember, repent and return, we could revolutionize our churches. Sounds like an exciting way to start a New Year.
In chapters two and three in the Book of Revelation the Apostle John writes to the seven churches of Asia Minor. He first addresses the church in Ephesus. He commended it for carrying on its work in the face of great difficulties, for rejecting false teachers, for speaking against sin, and for not growing weary. It was loyal in its practices and doctrines and, like most or our churches today, it thought it was a church with which God would be pleased.
Following his commendations John pointed out one major complaint. It is found in Revelation 2:4. It is a complaint that all of our churches should heed. John wrote, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (NASB). What was John saying? He was saying that they had become so mechanical in their motions that they had lost the miraculous devotion that they had experienced when Jesus Christ first became real to them. They had become caught up in their rituals and they had lost sight of the reality of the relationship that they had experienced with the One who made it all possible.
Does this sound like any church that you know? I think we would have to agree that many churches are so caught up in budget, programs, image, and hundreds of other things that they do not have energy left to simply bask in the good news of the Gospel. It is not that churches are doing the wrong things. It is that they are too often not doing the main thing. We would be wise to learn from the Shorter Catechisms derived from the Westminster Confession of Faith. In answer to the question, what is the chief end of man, it says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
When was the last time you glorified and enjoyed the person of Jesus Christ? Most of us have been so busy doing the business of the Church that we have not had any energy left to really enjoy the blessings of the church. Consequently, we have not fully enjoyed the peace, joy and abundance that He wishes us to have.
The good news is that John gives us a solution to this dilemma in the next verse. He wrote, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (NASB5a). You could call this the “3R’s” of restoring the joy of our salvation. First, we need to remember the joy and excitement we felt when Christ first became real to us and we invited Him into our hearts to be our Savior and Lord. Second, we need to repent of becoming too busy to have time to spend in developing our personal relationship with Him. Third, we need to return to the things we were doing at the beginning of the relationship. We need to devote ourselves to private time for reading the Word, praising God for our blessings, and praying privately to Him about all of our needs.
Imagine if every church followed John’s instructions to remember, repent and return to the way things were spiritually in the beginning. For to happen, it must start somewhere . We may not be able to speak for our entire church, but each one of us can speak for himself or herself. If enough of us would follow John’s admonition to remember, repent and return, we could revolutionize our churches. Sounds like an exciting way to start a New Year.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Reflections for Christmas 2010
The True Gift of Christmas
(From my book, 101 Reflections)
When my children were small we had a Christmas tradition in our home. On Christmas morning our two boys came and got in bed with us. After several minutes of joking about Santa not being able to find our house, we went to the tree to see what gifts they could find. We respectfully referred to this special time as family union.
One Christmas following our family union time, we jumped up and raced into the living room, where the tree was located. Our eldest son was receiving a television for his room. Because of the cost of the television, he was getting practically no other gifts. The television was his Christmas.
The television was sitting on the coffee table across from the tree. He immediately wanted to turn it on. The cord was not long enough to reach the outlet. In my bull in a china shop manner, I picked up the table and the TV together and attempted to move it closer to an outlet. The freshly polished table was slick, causing the television to slip to the floor. The front hit first, breaking all of the dials and making the television useless.
You can imagine the impact on a ten-year old boy, when his entire Christmas was rendered useless. He ran to his room in tears and crawled to the foot of his bed. I joined him and we soaked his sheets with our tears. His heart was broken and so was mine. Finally, I was able to assure him the television could be fixed. I sought his forgiveness for being so careless. He was far more forgiving of me than I was of myself.
That year Christmas came on Sunday. After everyone had calmed down, we dressed for church. As we rode to church, I reflected upon the morning. I thought of the fragile nature of the things we get all excited about. We sometimes allow the commercial aspects of Christmas to detract us from the part of Christmas that is forever. I thought of the true gift of Christmas, the gift of God’s Son. I was grateful the true gift of Christmas could not be broken or taken away once it had been received. While these thoughts did not relieve my hurt for my son’s broken TV, they did give me a better perspective on the situation.
Do not allow worldly distractions spoil your Christmas. Guard against being overcome by all the festivities of the season to the point of neglecting the One it is all about. Strive to really keep Christ at the center of your focus. If you do, God will be honored and you will be blessed.
(From my book, 101 Reflections)
When my children were small we had a Christmas tradition in our home. On Christmas morning our two boys came and got in bed with us. After several minutes of joking about Santa not being able to find our house, we went to the tree to see what gifts they could find. We respectfully referred to this special time as family union.
One Christmas following our family union time, we jumped up and raced into the living room, where the tree was located. Our eldest son was receiving a television for his room. Because of the cost of the television, he was getting practically no other gifts. The television was his Christmas.
The television was sitting on the coffee table across from the tree. He immediately wanted to turn it on. The cord was not long enough to reach the outlet. In my bull in a china shop manner, I picked up the table and the TV together and attempted to move it closer to an outlet. The freshly polished table was slick, causing the television to slip to the floor. The front hit first, breaking all of the dials and making the television useless.
You can imagine the impact on a ten-year old boy, when his entire Christmas was rendered useless. He ran to his room in tears and crawled to the foot of his bed. I joined him and we soaked his sheets with our tears. His heart was broken and so was mine. Finally, I was able to assure him the television could be fixed. I sought his forgiveness for being so careless. He was far more forgiving of me than I was of myself.
That year Christmas came on Sunday. After everyone had calmed down, we dressed for church. As we rode to church, I reflected upon the morning. I thought of the fragile nature of the things we get all excited about. We sometimes allow the commercial aspects of Christmas to detract us from the part of Christmas that is forever. I thought of the true gift of Christmas, the gift of God’s Son. I was grateful the true gift of Christmas could not be broken or taken away once it had been received. While these thoughts did not relieve my hurt for my son’s broken TV, they did give me a better perspective on the situation.
Do not allow worldly distractions spoil your Christmas. Guard against being overcome by all the festivities of the season to the point of neglecting the One it is all about. Strive to really keep Christ at the center of your focus. If you do, God will be honored and you will be blessed.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Reflections for December 13, 2010
The Gift Of Joy
There is a growing trend toward giving gift cards for Christmas presents, because it eliminates long hours of shopping and allows the recipient to purchase a gift he/she really wants. On more than one occasion, I have placed the card in my wallet and forgot about it. When I would finally find it, I would discover the expiration date had past, causing me to miss a wonderful opportunity of a free gift.
Long ago, Jesus came and gave us the ultimate Christmas present. He gave us the gift of Himself and promised those who would follow Him a life filled with joy. For believers, this gift is all ready theirs. They need only to open it and to appropriate it in their lives. For those who do not believe, it is available by simply opening your heart and receiving it by faith.
It is important that we do not confuse joy with happiness. Happiness is determined by circumstances. It comes and goes as circumstances change. The joy that Christ gives is internal. It is not built upon circumstances, but it is built upon a humble acceptance of Christ’s love and a willing obedience to His word. It is only when we abide in Him daily that we can experience His joy.
A believer who is filled with the joy of Christ is like popcorn. Ordinary corn placed in a skillet and heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit simply dries up and gets hard. Popcorn reacts totally different. When it is heated to 400 degrees, it expands and breaks open, allowing the pure white pulp to burst forth into a delicious edible treat that is many times the size of the kernel. The parallel to life is clear. When the heat of life’s trials comes, many people shrivel up and become embittered. For those who humble themselves and walk with Christ, adversity becomes a catalyst for them to enlarge and burst forth with blessings for those around them.
Christian joyt is the internal excitement that allowed Paul and Silas to pray and sing praise unto their God from their prison cell. It is the joy that prompted the German Christian martyr, Herman Lange, to write these words to his parents just prior to his execution by the Nazis in W.W.II, “I am, first, in a joyous mood, and second, filled with great anticipation. In Christ I have put my faith, and precisely today I have faith in Him more firmly than ever. Look where you will, everywhere you will find jubilation over the grace that makes us children of God. What can befall a child of God? Of what should I be afraid? On the contrary, I rejoice.”
If you are a believer reading this article, and you do not have the joy of Christ at this time, don’t let Christmas pass you by without renewing this wonderful gift that Christ gives to all who are willing to follow Him. Renew your commitment to Him and begin the New Year believing that He will help you overcome whatever your obstacles may be.
If you are a seeker, don’t let this Christmas season pass you by without at least considering the possibility of receiving this wonderful gift that Christ wishes to give to you.
There is a growing trend toward giving gift cards for Christmas presents, because it eliminates long hours of shopping and allows the recipient to purchase a gift he/she really wants. On more than one occasion, I have placed the card in my wallet and forgot about it. When I would finally find it, I would discover the expiration date had past, causing me to miss a wonderful opportunity of a free gift.
Long ago, Jesus came and gave us the ultimate Christmas present. He gave us the gift of Himself and promised those who would follow Him a life filled with joy. For believers, this gift is all ready theirs. They need only to open it and to appropriate it in their lives. For those who do not believe, it is available by simply opening your heart and receiving it by faith.
It is important that we do not confuse joy with happiness. Happiness is determined by circumstances. It comes and goes as circumstances change. The joy that Christ gives is internal. It is not built upon circumstances, but it is built upon a humble acceptance of Christ’s love and a willing obedience to His word. It is only when we abide in Him daily that we can experience His joy.
A believer who is filled with the joy of Christ is like popcorn. Ordinary corn placed in a skillet and heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit simply dries up and gets hard. Popcorn reacts totally different. When it is heated to 400 degrees, it expands and breaks open, allowing the pure white pulp to burst forth into a delicious edible treat that is many times the size of the kernel. The parallel to life is clear. When the heat of life’s trials comes, many people shrivel up and become embittered. For those who humble themselves and walk with Christ, adversity becomes a catalyst for them to enlarge and burst forth with blessings for those around them.
Christian joyt is the internal excitement that allowed Paul and Silas to pray and sing praise unto their God from their prison cell. It is the joy that prompted the German Christian martyr, Herman Lange, to write these words to his parents just prior to his execution by the Nazis in W.W.II, “I am, first, in a joyous mood, and second, filled with great anticipation. In Christ I have put my faith, and precisely today I have faith in Him more firmly than ever. Look where you will, everywhere you will find jubilation over the grace that makes us children of God. What can befall a child of God? Of what should I be afraid? On the contrary, I rejoice.”
If you are a believer reading this article, and you do not have the joy of Christ at this time, don’t let Christmas pass you by without renewing this wonderful gift that Christ gives to all who are willing to follow Him. Renew your commitment to Him and begin the New Year believing that He will help you overcome whatever your obstacles may be.
If you are a seeker, don’t let this Christmas season pass you by without at least considering the possibility of receiving this wonderful gift that Christ wishes to give to you.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Reflections for November 24, 2010
Giving Thanks
For most people, Thanksgiving through New Years is the busiest time of the year. This year the shopping, feasting, rushing, ball games, family gatherings, and other activities may be less, because of the economic downturn we are suffering. However, I imagine most of us will still find enough things to do to leave us exhausted when it is over.
If our celebration is dampened by the bad economic news of late, we can choose to wallow in self pity or we can use the situation to lead us to count the blessing we do have. Regardless of our financial situation, we can experience the wonder of God’s bountiful gifts of grace and the wonder of God’s incarnation displayed to us in the birth of the Christ Child. We can appreciate our faith, family and friends. These are the blessings that last.
We can experience these things when we see our world through God’s eyes. He wants us to see a reason for thanksgiving in every circumstance. His Word admonishes us to, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB). There is a big difference between being thankful for something and being thankful in something. While I may not appreciate a circumstance in my life, I can give thanks for not having to endure it alone. I can know God is always present and He is able to bring good out of the worst of situations.
I can be thankful God does not change whether I am in the middle of a crisis or on a mountaintop. I can take comfort in His word that says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NASB). The stock market may tank, my body may give way to aging, people close to me may break my heart, but Jesus does not change. He is always available to comfort and to see me through.
If your life seems to be filled with more sorrow than joy, more want than plenty, more difficulties than blessings, ask God to show you the things for which you can give thanks. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to help you to develop the attitude reflected by the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am” (Philippians 4:11 NASB). On the other hand, if your bucket seems to be overflowing with blessings this year, consider that God did not give them to you to hoard. He gave them to you to share. Your sharing, your gift of kindness, may well be the thing that He wishes to use to place a spark of thanksgiving into the life of someone that is having a difficult time. Not only, will you be an instrument of God’s grace; you will experience first hand the truth in the saying that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive.
For most people, Thanksgiving through New Years is the busiest time of the year. This year the shopping, feasting, rushing, ball games, family gatherings, and other activities may be less, because of the economic downturn we are suffering. However, I imagine most of us will still find enough things to do to leave us exhausted when it is over.
If our celebration is dampened by the bad economic news of late, we can choose to wallow in self pity or we can use the situation to lead us to count the blessing we do have. Regardless of our financial situation, we can experience the wonder of God’s bountiful gifts of grace and the wonder of God’s incarnation displayed to us in the birth of the Christ Child. We can appreciate our faith, family and friends. These are the blessings that last.
We can experience these things when we see our world through God’s eyes. He wants us to see a reason for thanksgiving in every circumstance. His Word admonishes us to, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB). There is a big difference between being thankful for something and being thankful in something. While I may not appreciate a circumstance in my life, I can give thanks for not having to endure it alone. I can know God is always present and He is able to bring good out of the worst of situations.
I can be thankful God does not change whether I am in the middle of a crisis or on a mountaintop. I can take comfort in His word that says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NASB). The stock market may tank, my body may give way to aging, people close to me may break my heart, but Jesus does not change. He is always available to comfort and to see me through.
If your life seems to be filled with more sorrow than joy, more want than plenty, more difficulties than blessings, ask God to show you the things for which you can give thanks. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to help you to develop the attitude reflected by the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am” (Philippians 4:11 NASB). On the other hand, if your bucket seems to be overflowing with blessings this year, consider that God did not give them to you to hoard. He gave them to you to share. Your sharing, your gift of kindness, may well be the thing that He wishes to use to place a spark of thanksgiving into the life of someone that is having a difficult time. Not only, will you be an instrument of God’s grace; you will experience first hand the truth in the saying that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Reflections for November 12, 2010
"Loyalty"
Loyalty, dedication and perseverance are three characteristics that people in authority deeply desire in those who work under their direction. If earthy leaders can understand the importance of finding these characteristics in the people who follow them, is it any wonder that our Heavenly Father also expects those who follow Him to demonstrate these same traits?
The Apostle Paul points out the importance of these traits in his letter to the young pastor Timothy. He writes, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.” (II Timothy 2:3-6 NASB) In this passage Paul uses the illustration of a soldier, an athlete and a farmer to demonstrate the kind of character that God expects His followers to have.
It is not difficult to understand the importance of loyalty in the life of a soldier. Who would want to go into battle with someone whose loyalty was in question? This is one of the reasons that there is such stringent training before a soldier is sent into combat. Those in charge want to know that the soldier is ready. They want to know that the soldier is prepared to follow the commands given without requesting a public forum for discussion with each command. They know that in combat situations soldiers must be able to count on the soldier next to him/her. If they can not, they lose a large portion of their confidence.
Why is so hard for those who profess to have faith in Christ to understand that He requires this same kind of loyalty from us. After all, we are soldiers in the greatest army of all. It may not be an army equipped with the latest technological weapons but it is the army of the highest authority in the universe. As the old hymn suggests we are Christian soldiers. It is hard to imagine that General Tommy Franks would have been able to conduct the war in Iraq, if his troops had only the level of loyalty that is displayed in the lives of many of the Christians who fill our churches on Sunday.
Unfortunately, many Christians leave loyalty at the door when they depart from the church building on Sunday morning. This leaves them defenseless when they must confront the world in which they live. This leaves them with no choice but to compromise principles instead of standing upon them. If we do not reestablish loyalty to Christ in the lives of His followers, how can we hope to impact our culture with His principles for life?
This would be a great time for you to examine your own level of loyalty to your Supreme Commander. If your loyalty level has been low, renew your commitment to Him and ask Him to give you the strength to engage in the battle and to become victorious through His strength.
Next week we will continue with Paul’s analogies and we will look at the lessons to be learned from the athlete and the farmer.
Loyalty, dedication and perseverance are three characteristics that people in authority deeply desire in those who work under their direction. If earthy leaders can understand the importance of finding these characteristics in the people who follow them, is it any wonder that our Heavenly Father also expects those who follow Him to demonstrate these same traits?
The Apostle Paul points out the importance of these traits in his letter to the young pastor Timothy. He writes, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.” (II Timothy 2:3-6 NASB) In this passage Paul uses the illustration of a soldier, an athlete and a farmer to demonstrate the kind of character that God expects His followers to have.
It is not difficult to understand the importance of loyalty in the life of a soldier. Who would want to go into battle with someone whose loyalty was in question? This is one of the reasons that there is such stringent training before a soldier is sent into combat. Those in charge want to know that the soldier is ready. They want to know that the soldier is prepared to follow the commands given without requesting a public forum for discussion with each command. They know that in combat situations soldiers must be able to count on the soldier next to him/her. If they can not, they lose a large portion of their confidence.
Why is so hard for those who profess to have faith in Christ to understand that He requires this same kind of loyalty from us. After all, we are soldiers in the greatest army of all. It may not be an army equipped with the latest technological weapons but it is the army of the highest authority in the universe. As the old hymn suggests we are Christian soldiers. It is hard to imagine that General Tommy Franks would have been able to conduct the war in Iraq, if his troops had only the level of loyalty that is displayed in the lives of many of the Christians who fill our churches on Sunday.
Unfortunately, many Christians leave loyalty at the door when they depart from the church building on Sunday morning. This leaves them defenseless when they must confront the world in which they live. This leaves them with no choice but to compromise principles instead of standing upon them. If we do not reestablish loyalty to Christ in the lives of His followers, how can we hope to impact our culture with His principles for life?
This would be a great time for you to examine your own level of loyalty to your Supreme Commander. If your loyalty level has been low, renew your commitment to Him and ask Him to give you the strength to engage in the battle and to become victorious through His strength.
Next week we will continue with Paul’s analogies and we will look at the lessons to be learned from the athlete and the farmer.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Reflections for November 2, 2010
Finishing Strong
One of my favorite characters in Scripture is Caleb. You probably remember he and Joshua were the only two Jewish spies who returned from their mission to the land God had had promised with a report of a land waiting to be taken. The other ten spies could only see the giants in the land, causing them to counsel against crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. The people chose to listen to the ten and refused to cross. As a result an entire generation was left to wander in the desert for forty years. (Read Numbers 13 and 14 for the complete story of the Twelve Spies.)
Of the entire generation, only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to cross into the Promised Land. The first thirteen chapters of the Book of Joshua describe the conquest of the land God had promised. In chapter fourteen we find Caleb, who was eight-five years old, requesting he be given the hill country called Hebron. It is important to note this was the home of the Anakim, who caused the original ten spies to caution the people against entering the land. Listen to the words of Caleb: “I am still as strong today, as I was in the day Moses sent me, as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in” (Joshua 14:11 NASB, bold print added.) (Read Joshua 14 for the complete story of Caleb’s request.)
Since I began making definite plans for my retirement, Caleb has become one of my favorite biblical heroes. He gives new meaning to the expression “finishing strong.” He did not accept the notion that he was old and worn out. He believed God still had work for him to do. He has become a role model for how I want to finish this race called life. He has demonstrated that it is more exciting to burn out than it is to rust out. He inspires me to anticipate the next new thing God has for me to do. He reminds me that we all have a reason for being here. If God was finished with us, He would take us home. He gives me reason to look with excitement at this last season of my life rather than with dread. He gives me the desire to leave a legacy of finishing the race with enthusiasm.
Many of you reading this Reflection are either into the last season of your life or approaching it. How do you want to finish? While we may not be able to do everything we could do years ago, we can still do everything God wants us to do in the years we have left. Our best years may well be in front of us. I encourage you to join me in striving to be able to say as Paul did, when he approached the end of his race: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith (II Timothy 4:7 NASB).
One of my favorite characters in Scripture is Caleb. You probably remember he and Joshua were the only two Jewish spies who returned from their mission to the land God had had promised with a report of a land waiting to be taken. The other ten spies could only see the giants in the land, causing them to counsel against crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. The people chose to listen to the ten and refused to cross. As a result an entire generation was left to wander in the desert for forty years. (Read Numbers 13 and 14 for the complete story of the Twelve Spies.)
Of the entire generation, only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to cross into the Promised Land. The first thirteen chapters of the Book of Joshua describe the conquest of the land God had promised. In chapter fourteen we find Caleb, who was eight-five years old, requesting he be given the hill country called Hebron. It is important to note this was the home of the Anakim, who caused the original ten spies to caution the people against entering the land. Listen to the words of Caleb: “I am still as strong today, as I was in the day Moses sent me, as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in” (Joshua 14:11 NASB, bold print added.) (Read Joshua 14 for the complete story of Caleb’s request.)
Since I began making definite plans for my retirement, Caleb has become one of my favorite biblical heroes. He gives new meaning to the expression “finishing strong.” He did not accept the notion that he was old and worn out. He believed God still had work for him to do. He has become a role model for how I want to finish this race called life. He has demonstrated that it is more exciting to burn out than it is to rust out. He inspires me to anticipate the next new thing God has for me to do. He reminds me that we all have a reason for being here. If God was finished with us, He would take us home. He gives me reason to look with excitement at this last season of my life rather than with dread. He gives me the desire to leave a legacy of finishing the race with enthusiasm.
Many of you reading this Reflection are either into the last season of your life or approaching it. How do you want to finish? While we may not be able to do everything we could do years ago, we can still do everything God wants us to do in the years we have left. Our best years may well be in front of us. I encourage you to join me in striving to be able to say as Paul did, when he approached the end of his race: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith (II Timothy 4:7 NASB).
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