Expire or retire ∙

Expire or retire ∙

I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. – Joshua 14:8

Numbers 14:17-24

 17 Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed. For you said,

 18 “The LORD is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected – even children in the third and fourth generations.”

 19 In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.

 20 Then the LORD said, I will pardon them as you have requested.

 21 But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the LORD’s glory,

 22 not one of these people will ever enter that land. . ..

 24 But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.

Baby boomers have redefined retirement. Catherine Collinson states, “Baby boomers have rewritten the rules in every stage of life, and retirement is no different. They see retirement as more of a transition from full-time work.”

A fresh retirement model has emerged. Instead of working 40-60-hour weeks, boomers choose to stay active and involved on their own terms. With careful thought and planning, people are discovering ways to lead lives that keep them engaged and focused, fostering continuous growth and value.

George Burns humorously captured this sentiment: “Retire? Never! I’m going to stay in show business until I’m the only one left.”

The Father does not make promises that He does not keep. He solemnly vowed to free the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt and lead them to a prosperous land, one flowing with milk and honey.

Exodus 3:8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey.

Yet, the Father never promised an easy journey.

With His mighty hand, He liberated the nation using ten devastating plagues and the miracle of the Red Sea. He parted the waters for Israel and destroyed Egypt’s armies. He brought them to Kadesh-Barnea, just a stone’s throw from the Promised Land.

A committee of twelve spies, one from each tribe, was chosen to secretly scout the land. Were the Father’s promises true? Was the land as He had described?

Indeed, it was true, but there was a catch. The land was filled with fortified cities, large armies, and, worst of all, giants – the descendants of Anak. We are well-acquainted with one of them, Goliath, who lived and died 400 years later during David’s time.

Two reports emerged. The majority delivered an evil report. Ten spies acknowledged the land’s splendor but emphasized the fear in their hearts, focusing on the obstacles. To them, the facts were clear: the fortifications were too formidable, and the armies too powerful.

Their exact words were, “We became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33).

Instead of growing in their faith, they gave in to fear.

However, Joshua and Caleb stood apart with a different spirit and delivered a good report, highlighting the Father’s promise.

Numbers 14:6-9

 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb . . ..

 7 spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.”

 8 “If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us– a land which flows with milk and honey.”

 9 “Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.”

Take a moment to reflect. Though their enemies were formidable, they were ultimately vulnerable because the Father, the Lord God Almighty, had stripped away their protection. He had made them defenseless.

We often forget that the kingdom of God operates as a theocracy, not a democracy. The will of the majority holds no sway with the King of eternity. The so-called “adults in the room” sided with the majority’s fearful report. The Father’s response was direct and severe: If you’re too afraid to enter the land, then you will perish in the wilderness. Problem solved.

After 40 years of wandering, the entire generation over 20 years old at the journey’s start had died, with Joshua and Caleb being the notable exceptions.

REFLECT & PRAY

Every day, the choice to follow the Lord presents itself to us, in greater or lesser degrees. Caleb shows us that ordinary individuals can possess extraordinary conviction and courage. Instead of succumbing to fear, he grew strong in faith.

Father, I acknowledge my human weaknesses. I am inclined to stray and turn away from the God I love. Yet, You have bent my heart towards You. Inspire me to follow You wholeheartedly with complete devotion.

INSIGHT

Caleb, steadfast and loyal to the Father, exemplified boldness and courage. Much like a Navy Seal, quitting was never an option for him; victory was his only path, with no plan B.

He embraced the Father’s promises and remained unwavering in his belief despite the long and challenging years spent in the wilderness. Caleb had intended to claim Canaan forty-five years ago, and his resolve had not wavered. Nothing had changed.

Joshua 14:7-12

 10 “Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise – even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today, I am eighty-five years old.

 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then.

 12 So give me the hill country that the LORD promised me.

The Father told him, “My servant Caleb because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully” (Numbers 14:24). Caleb was a profile in courage. He became mighty in war and put foreign armies to flight (Hebrews 11:34).

The Father doesn’t offer a cushy retirement plan. He prefers that we persevere actively until the end and expire on our feet rather than settle into a life of comfort.

If Caleb had a tombstone, it would read, “He followed the LORD wholeheartedly.” What would yours say?

“When we choose to ‘wholly follow’ the Lord, He will move heaven and earth, if necessary, to fulfill His good promises to us” (Stanley).

“Vision without action is merely a dream.

Action without vision just passes the time.

Vision with action can change the world” (Joel A. Barker).

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 3-17-1

© Dr. H 2024