Week 13 Devotions

March 26 - - Have you ever said, or heard someone else say, “It’s time to let the younger generation take over”? We have been programmed to think that retirement is a right, not just from our labors in the work force, but also from our labors in the Lord. One would almost think it was an eleventh commandment that scripture somehow omitted. How refreshing it is to see the example of Caleb. Only he and Joshua believed that God would give His people victory over the giants living in the Land of Promise (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9). Ten of the twelve spies sent into the land to assess the situation, walked by sight and thought it unwise to invade a land filled with a very imposing foe. But, Caleb and Joshua walked by faith in the God who is able to do, “exceedingly, abundantly above anything we ask or even imagine asking” (Ephesians 3:20). Consequently, Caleb and Joshua were the only two adults over the age of twenty to enter into the Promised Land forty years later. Joshua had been an awesome leader and a tremendous replacement for Moses. His faith in God and obedience to God, had served as an example and inspiration to an entire nation of people. With Joshua as their leader, Israel had conquered much of the land promised to them by God many generations earlier. But, there was still some pockets of Canaan needing to be conquered. And who is it that steps forward and says, “Here am I, Lord use me”, but Caleb. Caleb says, “I was forty years old when I was sent as a spy into Canaan. I am now eighty-five and as strong as I was back then. Even though the land is yet to be conquered, I am quite willing to go in and finish the job” (Joshua 14:10-12). And then, just like forty-five years earlier, Caleb puts his trust in the Lord. “If the Lord is with me, I will drive them out, just as the Lord has said.” If Caleb is our example, then there is no age at which we are allowed to kick back and enjoy our last years in the Lord. The spiritual gifts we have received from the Holy Spirit, and the opportunities afforded us by God are intended to be used in service to Him as long as we shall live. Not until God calls us home will we have the luxury of “retiring” from our labors here on earth. Until that time, “be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (I Corinthians 15:58). March 29 - - In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul wrote, “This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to bring faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. This truth gives them the confidence of eternal life, which God promised them before the world began - - and He cannot lie” (Titus 1:1&2). It is impossible for God to lie. It simply is not within His nature to do so. “God is not a man that He should lie. He is not a human, that He should change His mind” (Numbers 23:19; see also I Samuel 15:29). The One who came to represent God in human flesh, said of himself, “I am the Way. I am the Truth. I am the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). How many times have we heard someone say, “If there are two things I can’t stand, it’s a liar and a thief”? No matter how committed to the core we may be about telling the truth, it’s amazing how we rationalize or justify the need to “stretch the truth” once in awhile to protect ourselves or someone else. God has gone on record with many hundreds of promises. All we need do is examine His record to know whether God is a truth-teller or not. And while there are some of God’s promises yet to be fulfilled, past experience would indicate that God will honor them in time, also. God had promised Abram that He would make from his family, a great nation of people (Genesis 12: 1-3) and the nation of Israel was God’s fulfillment to His promise. God had also promised to bring the nation of Israel out of Egypt, where it had resided for over 400 years (Exodus 3:16-18; 4:29-31) and God did. After the Israelites had conquered those residing in Canaan, and after the Israelites had divided up the land amongst the twelve tribes, and after the twelve tribes had each settled in their respective territory, the Bible reminds it’s readers: “And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. All of the good promises that the Lord had given Israel came true” (Joshua 21:44&45; 23:10,14). The good news for us today, is that God’s character has not changed. And we can be sure that the God who honored His promises to the Israelites, is the same God who will honor His promises to Christians.