Wholehearted Service
Joshua 14:6–15
[Caleb] wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. Joshua 14:14
In his wholehearted giving of himself to God, Caleb contrasts with most of the other people of Israel during this period. Caleb was given Hebron and took it, driving the Anakim from the land. Sadly, this was not true of the majority of the nation, who did not entirely drive out the Canaanites. The land was theirs, the power of the Canaanites was broken, but they did not fully possess the possessions God had given to them.
Why was this? Again here is a simple answer: they did not serve the Lord wholeheartedly as Caleb did. I think they were probably tired of fighting and just wanted a little peace for a while. They wanted to enjoy the spoils of their battles. Their religion was becoming similar to that urged on so many professing Christians today. They wanted to be “saved, safe, and satisfied.” Well, saved they may well have been, and safe too. But they should not have been satisfied to the extent of abandoning their commission. There “remain[ed] yet very much land to possess” (13:1), and they were not to settle down in peace and prosperity until they accomplished that.
There are other things besides giants that can get our eyes off God and his service. We can get our eyes on peace, comfort, or a thousand other things that wrongly compete for God’s place.
Do you remember those verses that come immediately after that great chapter on the heroes of the faith in Hebrews? Hebrews 11 lists many of the magnificent men and women of the Old Testament, those who contended for the faith and triumphed. We are inspired by such examples, and rightly so. But immediately after their stories have been told, the author of the book applies their examples of faith to us, saying, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Heb. 12:1–3).
I am sure there were times when Caleb was quite weary, but he did not lose heart; he had his eyes set on God, who was giving him the victory. No more will we lose heart if our eyes are fixed on our great Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.