A Wholehearted Disciple

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Opening Prayer

Eternal God, reassure me in my doubts and fears so that I may set my hope fully on You.

Read Joshua 14:6–15

^[6] Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. ^[7] I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, ^[8] but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. ^[9] So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’ ^[10] “Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! ^[11] I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. ^[12] Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” ^[13] Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. ^[14] So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. ^[15] (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.

Meditate

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psa. 55:22). This is the God of Caleb and our God.

Think Further

Caleb and Joshua were two of the 12 spies sent by Moses into Canaan

(Num. 13,14). Contrary to the majority report that saw Canaan as unconquerable, they urged

Israel to possess Canaan as God had promised. Caleb was 40, and he and Joshua were the only

ones from the group that had left Egypt who were allowed to enter the Promised Land. God

commended Caleb for having “a different spirit” and for following him wholeheartedly; he

promised him an inheritance in Canaan (Num. 14:24). Caleb had waited 45 years to claim this

promise; he now approached Joshua and reminded him of past events.

That Caleb followed the Lord wholeheartedly is repeated to emphasize the distinctive character

of the man (8,9,14). He never left God’s path and did not keep anything from God. He loved God

with all his heart and there was no duplicity in him (cf. Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37). His was an

undivided heart (cf. Psa. 86:11; Ezek. 11:19). He was not led by his own desires or popular

opinions. He spoke “according to [his] convictions” (7). He kept talking about God: the Lord

will lead us, will give us and is with us (Num. 14:8,9).

Even at 85, Caleb’s faith and frame remained strong (11). It was time to claim God’s promises

and he was ready to drive out the Anakites from the land God had promised him. It was hill

country, a terrain that would deter a much younger man, but Caleb’s passion and trust in God

was sturdy. Not presumptuous, he knew he would succeed only with “the Lord helping me” (12).

He is a brilliant model of faith and faithfulness. On top of that, he had Kenizzite roots (14),

meaning that he was not a descendant of Jacob but of Esau (Gen. 36:11). It is not your pedigree

but your faith and faithfulness that matters.

Caleb and Joshua were two of the 12 spies sent by Moses into Canaan (Num. 13,14). Contrary to the majority report that saw Canaan as unconquerable, they urged Israel to possess Canaan as God had promised. Caleb was 40, and he and Joshua were the only ones from the group that had left Egypt who were allowed to enter the Promised Land. God commended Caleb for having “a different spirit” and for following him wholeheartedly; he promised him an inheritance in Canaan (Num. 14:24). Caleb had waited 45 years to claim this promise; he now approached Joshua and reminded him of past events.
That Caleb followed the Lord wholeheartedly is repeated to emphasize the distinctive character of the man (8,9,14). He never left God’s path and did not keep anything from God. He loved God with all his heart and there was no duplicity in him (cf. Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37). His was an undivided heart (cf. Psa. 86:11; Ezek. 11:19). He was not led by his own desires or popular opinions. He spoke “according to [his] convictions” (7). He kept talking about God: the Lord will lead us, will give us and is with us (Num. 14:8,9).
Even at 85, Caleb’s faith and frame remained strong (11). It was time to claim God’s promises and he was ready to drive out the Anakites from the land God had promised him. It was hill country, a terrain that would deter a much younger man, but Caleb’s passion and trust in God was sturdy. Not presumptuous, he knew he would succeed only with “the Lord helping me” (12). He is a brilliant model of faith and faithfulness. On top of that, he had Kenizzite roots (14), meaning that he was not a descendant of Jacob but of Esau (Gen. 36:11). It is not your pedigree but your faith and faithfulness that matters.

Apply

What quality of Caleb’s life do you want for yourself and for your family? What would it mean practically for you to serve God wholeheartedly at this time?

Closing prayer

Lord, help me to be like Caleb and follow You wholeheartedly.

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