I WANT TO FINISH WELL

We had an interesting FIRST on Wednesday evening, when we had a VIRTUAL ZOOM DINNER with our sons and their families in Sydney to celebrate Margaret’s 80th birthday. The pandemic has sure changed people’s lives and activities here in Australia and around the world.

I am also celebrating a birthday in a few days time, and one cannot help but think that at our age, there may not be many more birthdays to celebrate until either the Lord returns or we pass into eternity.

I sure thank God for His SO GREAT SALVATION, and sadly I have failed Him so many times, but will by God’s grace, want to hear the words WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. so with the Lord’s help, I want to FINISH WELL.

I am reminded today of Caleb, we read in Num. 14:24 KJV But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.

Every time Caleb’s name is mentioned in Scripture it is prefaced with MY SERVANT. A servant has no rights, and only has an eye for the master’s needs. So if we want to “finish well” we must maintain a servant lifestyle.

In the O.T. many who were servants after fulfilling their time were free to go, but some chose to remain, and would have a nail placed in his ear, so that all could see he was a SERVANT BY CHOICE.

The Bible then declares Caleb had a DIFFERENT SPIRIT, this is surely reflected in the meaning of his name bold & impetuous. He declared in Numbers 13:30 KJV And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for WE ARE WELL ABLE TO OVERCOME IT. He did not think in terms of fences and walled cities and giants, He was different, and by the grace of God so can we.

Again, the Bible says, HE FOLLOWED THE LORD FULLY, (again recorded 6 times) Caleb lived the surrendered life Rom.12:1 NKJV beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

The bible tells us, Caleb, MAINTAINED AND FED HIS VISION, for 45 years later he declares in Josh. 14:6-13 NKJV

Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.

At 85 Caleb declared, I am as strong today, as I was 45 years ago, He had sure learned to LIVE UNDER THE SPOUT WHERE THE GLORY COMES OUT. Caleb had refused to settle down, He had maintained an EYE FOR THE CLOUD, For whenever the cloud began to move from above the tabernacle, he packed up his belongings and moved and followed the cloud, what a challenge that is, he refused to have the attitude, “been there, done that” but was always willing to move forward in the purposes of God, we sure need the Lord’s help here, and maintain the attitude GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN.

I trust this simple blog will bless and encourage you, as we continue our walk towards eternity