Caleb Inherits Hebron
“Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.” Joshua 14: 6-13
Caleb was eighty-five years old when he climbed that mountain and he said “I felt my strength the same as if I were forty years old.” In our daily life our problems, struggles, and difficulties can seem like big mountains. Sometimes it seems that the more I climb, the farther away I seem from the top. I complain, saying, “I can’t reach the top!” Perhaps it is because I want to do it by myself; also because I feel tired of those rocks that someone mischievously throws on my back and hides in their hands. Those little obstacles keep me away from reaching the top. I’m not perfect yet. My pride hurts and fixing my character is one of the hardest tasks for me to do. I often cry to the Lord: “Please teach me to forget and forgive. I feel discouraged when the devil comes and tempts me saying ‘you are a poor little sinner; you are not going to be able to reach the top. Heaven is too far from you’.” We should reply right away saying, “Leave me alone. Go away.” For it is written: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5
The following paragraph is an answer to one of my prayers to God, and it is more like talking to God.
If I ask God for a mountain, He will answer, “Yes. I have a mountain for you, and for all of you if you ask for a mountain, also. And it comes with a starting point, a plan, and a map. I will give you hope when you are discouraged. I will give you peace when you are in trouble. I will dry your tears when you feel that you are letting your body go, and when you feel that you are falling, I will hold you.” When you feel proud of yourself for reaching the top, you have to learn to submit yourself to God and be humble and obedient. That is one of the hardest tasks. You have to practice what you have learned on your way up, and when you feel ignorant and lost, because you are not finding the way, God will give you wisdom and His words to lead you to the top. “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6. If you are weak, I will give you strength. And if your soul is mortified, I will give you the Holy Spirit to comfort you. And if you are thirsty, I will give you the living water. If you are hungry, I will give you the Bread of life; and if you feel that you are dying without salvation, I will give you My Son Jesus Christ. Believe and you will receive salvation free. Keep going to reach Me and you will see My grace.
Jesus is giving us a mountain to climb, but not only for climbing, but to reach the top and to stay there. Sometimes I feel that in this world there is no place for sinners who dream, but I’m sure that there is a place in heaven for my family, all of you, and me. In the same way Jesus loves me I want to love all of you, to forgive and forget. In our busy lives, trying to reach God, we don’t submit humbly, asking for help from Jesus. In our lives and in our occupations, we don’t really give ourselves completely to Jesus. Keep your eyes upon Jesus, and don’t let Him go! Keep going! Then we will be able to come to the cross and sit at Jesus’ feet. That is my wish and prayer for all of us.
Lucia Flores