Taking the long view…

• Isaiah 25:1 LORD, you are my God, I shall praise you to the heights, I shall praise your name; for you have accomplished marvels, plans long-conceived, faithfully, firmly.

Have you ever felt like your life was going nowhere?  Have you ever felt that basically you were spinning your wheels, running in place or that you were stuck in a rut?  Does, “going through a dry spell,” “being in a slump” or “running on empty” ever describe you?  Just the fact that there are so many expressions to describe this kind of feeling is an indication that it is a common expression for many, probably all of us at one time or other.

To be honest, I was feeling like this recently myself and as I brought my feeling to the Lord it seemed that everything I read from His Bible ministered to me.  The first thing that stood out for me was the account of eighty-five year old Caleb claiming a promise that God had made to him.

The story began forty-five years earlier when he along with eleven other spies had entered the Promised Land to do a little reconnaissance work.  When they came back with their report, ten of the spies gave a faithless report that caused the people to doubt God.  Only Caleb and Joshua dared to trust God and encourage the people to move forward in obedience to God’s plan.   Because of Caleb’s obedience and faith, God promised him that one day he would be given a specific portion of the Promised Land as an inheritance.

The kicker was, however, that Caleb had to “keep the faith” for forty-five more years before it happened.  (Definitely a case where more is not better!)

In other words, it appeared that he was spinning his wheels, running in place and stuck in a rut during all that time.  I’m sure that as he followed the rest of Israel around in the desert for forty years watching his generation die off, that he felt like he was in a long dry spell; and talk about being in a slump and running on empty!

However, Caleb remained faithful and kept believing and as a result was able to claim the promise that God had made.  His story was recorded for us to learn from.  Some of the principles are these:

• First, Caleb’s life reminds us that being obedient is what counts with God (Joshua 15:9; 14).  In other words, going with what we know to do – day in and day out – faithfully no matter how we feel or what the current circumstances look like.  Or put another way, it is not the fastest guy or the most talented gal that wins the day and claims the prize in God’s world; it is the one that is found faithful.
• Second, Caleb’s life teaches us to take the long view.  Remember, it was forty-five years and a lot of battles between the promise given and the promise received.    
• The third thing (and this really encouraged me) because Caleb chose to trust in God’s promise, it kept him strong for the long haul.  Even at age 85 he was ready to take on giants!
• Finally, (and this is encouraging also) because of Caleb’s faithful, day-in and day-out long-term obedience, he left a legacy for his family for generations to come.

So what’s the point?  Let me explain it with a New Testament example – Elizabeth giving birth to John the Baptist.  She had been barren for many years but when she was “advanced in age” (Luke 1:7) the day came…well let me let Luke speak:

• Luke 1:57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbors and relations heard that the Lord had lavished on her his faithful love, they shared her joy.

So, keep spinning those wheels – it may not seem like it – but you are going somewhere. God has promised and one day your time will come and it will be a great joy!