Wholeheartedly
A lot has been said and written about Joshua, son of Nun, in the Old Testament. He was the disciple of Moses, trained and prepared to take the Promised Land after the 40 years in the wilderness following the Hebrews departure from Egypt.
But not so much is ever preached on or spoken about Caleb, the other one of the two spies, from amongst the 12, who only brought back a good report of the land they were to possess, along with Joshua.
As we look to see who Caleb was, those of us who have had a good bit of ground pass beneath our feet over the years can identify with this servant of God.
“But as for My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” Numbers 14:24
In Joshua 14:14 it says of Caleb, “Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed the Lord God of Israel fully.” Or wholeheartedly.
Caleb had “a different spirit”. He had followed the Lord fully, as best he knew how. It emphasizes in Scripture again later that “he followed the Lord God of Israel fully.” Again, wholeheartedly.
That takes some doing. It means he walked faithfully for many decades with the Lord, now being in his 80s. He wasn’t playing the game, “one foot in, one foot out, shake it all about”. He learned the Lord’s ways, gave it his all, and received the reward in the end.
The promise was then received after the faithfulness held to the end. “I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” Numbers 14:24
Wholeheartedly means exactly that, with your whole heart. It means making up your mind to do something and sticking to it, giving it all you have until you don’t have anything left. Even as it was said of another, “He poured Himself out.” (Isaiah 53:12, NASB)
This is as one I want it to be said of, “He gave it all he had until the end, when his time was up.”
I hope that is, or will become, your desire too.
Ahava and Shalom,
Steve Martin
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