Time—It’s telling you a story. Time marches on! No man can stay its steps or slow its pace. This Lock-Down, too, is caught up in its momentum. Time’s path is a series of steppingstones. Each stone being a moment of time – one moment being laid down in front of the last into eternity. It’s the wise that add goodness to each moment. Caleb knew that value. He boasted that he was as strong at 85 as he had been at 40. When he said, “Give me this mountain!” he was not just claiming Hebron, he was laying claim to the opportunity that was laid before him 45 years earlier.
A promise before him. Yet another moment to descend upon. I don’t have to know what specifically became of Caleb’s heirs; to know this man is enough. Four and a half decades earlier he and Joshua explored that land with 10 other men (whose names are listed…but nobody cares). Those 10 spies said the land couldn’t be taken. Their logic stood solid in that kangaroo court. In simple terms it was: ‘Big soldiers kill little soldiers. The enemy in the land are big soldiers, and we are little soldiers – Thus, they will kill us all.’ Theirs was a God of: ‘Sorry guys, I guess you are right. You’re not up to it, so let’s forget the whole thing and go home.’
Anyone would think that Joshua and Caleb had just spent the last 40 days spying out a completely different land. “We can take it!” was Caleb’s cry. His God was the God of ‘Now!’ and ‘Why not?’ Only Joshua stood at his side. The other 10 spies looked at their watches and wanted to bolt. Because of his faithless Israelite brothers, Caleb also went into Lock-Down. For 40 long years. But they died off; Caleb lived! To see Caleb at 40 and to see him at 85 is to see the same man! Eyes bright with hope. Body brimming with energy. Faith leaning into eternity. Every step walked in God’s will. Every moment a gift to be ceased; never to be wasted. Caleb’s story has stood the test of time. Time, it’s telling you a story – Yours! johnstaiger1@gmail.com
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