Yesterday I talked about Joshua and Caleb. And that it amazed me to find that they were the only two men (20 years and older) that got to leave Egypt and actually enjoy the Promise Land.
What made them different than everyone else?
This is my humble observation. One, they were leaders not followers. Everyone else was panicking, whining, and rebelling against God. But not these guys. Check out what God said about them.
"The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the Lord." Numbers 32:12
Two, they had perseverance. It must have been hard not to complain...not to be discouraged and afraid, to totally trust God. Even the great leader Moses couldn't see it all the way through. In a moment of weakness, Moses didn't trust God. And he got to see the Promised Land but not enter it.
This got me thinking.
Where are men like Joshua and Caleb these days? Men who aren't afraid to stand up and live their lives for God. Men who aren't afraid to be different from the world. Not just kind of different...but radically different. Women too. Why can't we have the strength these guys had?
Now I'm not talking about being weird different. But a secure, confident different.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to be like the Israelites...who whined and completely turned from God out of their distrust of Him.
But that doesn't scare me really.
What scares me is that I'll be like Moses. I'll be strong and trust God. But in a crazy moment of weakness I'll distrust him...and get close to living the dreams and plans God has for me...maybe even get a glimpse of them. But I won't get to enjoy them.
No. I want to be like Joshua and Caleb. I want to see it all the way through. I want God to say about me what he said about them...that I "wholeheartedly followed the Lord." And frankly, I want a man who will do the same.
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