Presuming Upon God

Abigail and Dolley readers yesterday I was in the Word, reading with my son and teaching him.  We chose Joshua 14:6-15.  It's an amazing passage of Scripture about Caleb.  One of only two adults that left Egypt as a slave and entered into the Promised Land.  Caleb is an extraordinary man of God, faithful and of stalwart heart.  The passage relays his story and tells of the promise of land that he received from God through Moses for his faithfulness.  He is 85 years old, the Lord has kept him as strong as he was as a 40 year old man.  The land is Hebron - hill country with large walled cities full of giants - not exactly a retirement condo.  The Israelites have fought for 5 years.  It is time to divide up the land and the tribe of Judah is first.  Caleb goes to Joshua and says you were there, you heard the promise, please give me this land and I will go and take it IF the Lord is with me.

The little word IF struck me like a thunderbolt.  This is one of the mightiest men in the Old Testament.  God's hand of blessing has been on him for 45 years.  He is a walking miracle, he has seen God, he has seen the miracles of Exodus, Jericho, and countless others.  He has been promised this land by Moses himself, yet he says IF the Lord Almighty is with me.

This is deep wisdom from an elder that we need to pay attention to - never presume upon the Lord.  For His ways are higher than ours, his thoughts are higher than ours.  Caleb is not having a faith crisis, he just knows the Lord has to fight the battle and he will not go if the Lord's timing is not his own.  As confident as Caleb is in the Power and provision of God he still recognizes that he could be jumping the gun.

The lesson - don't presume upon God.