Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword is taken from the Book of Joshua, Chapter14 verse 8, “Caleb said to Joshua: My brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God, wholeheartedly,” (NRVSB). In this Chapter Caleb reminds Joshua regarding the time when they went together as scouts, sent by Moses, with ten other men, to see the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. The scouts were disheartened when they saw the giants who dwelled in the land. Only Joshua and Caleb were confident that the Israelites would be able to conquer these giants. Through the talks of possible defeat, the majority of the scouts caused great fear and trembling in the hearts of their fellow-Israelites. They were reluctant entering the promised land. God told Moses to appoint Joshua as the leader who would take over from him and Caleb as one of his deputies.
Through the faithful and inspiring leadership of Joshua and Caleb and their wholehearted faith in the promises of God and the truth of his Word, the Israelites finally entered the Promised Land. They enjoyed the fulfilment of the promise given forty years earlier to Moses when the Israelites left Egypt and slavery. Caleb believed and trusted in God’s Word. God did not disappoint him, but kept him in strength and health and now God is giving him and his family land to possess. “And now behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as he said, these forty five years. Behold, I am this day eighty-five years old, yet, I am as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me,” (Joshua 14 verse 10 and 11).
Caleb believed that God saved and blessed his life and allowed him to grow old and gave him possession of his promised inheritance because of God’s loving-kindness towards him. Despite the real danger of giants and obstacles in his way, with God fighting along-side him, he saw no problem as insurmountable. The whole-hearted trust in the promises of God, given in and through his Word, will keep our minds and hearts in peace and give us courage to face the gianst of each day and overcome them. Each victory over the obstacle in our way, brings new strength and courage as we journey with God, like Joshua and Caleb, towards our promised haven.
We read in the Book of Revelation in Chapter 3, verses 11-12, “Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God,” (NRSVB). This is a portion of the Letter to the Church in Sardis, delivered by the angelic messenger. The angels is warning the church that they are supposed to be alive, but they are dead, for they are fearful to trust and and act on the Word of God and receive the blessings, promised to them. Their faith is clouded by doubt and fear. The messenger encourages them to be awake and to rise to the “giants,” the obstacles, that are set to derail the work of the church. They are commanded to live with “expexted endurance” and look out for the promises of God. They must not become disheartened and lose their faith in their long and difficult desert journey.
Those who keep their faith will, like Caleb, enter into the promises of God and will become pillars in the story of the lives of the faithful. These pillars support and help to strengthen the faith of the congregation, the body of Christ. When we look ahead, we see obstacles in the way of living fearlessly and journeying joyously towards our promised land. Jesus Christ has overcome for us the fears and doubts that plague us along our way. We need not be tripped up and caused to flee because the giants of doubt are chasing. Do not let these giants make us fearful so that our hearts melt with anxiety. Greater is he who is in us, than he who is in the world. Christ has conquered on the Cross for us our doubts and has given us faith, we need not fear death, disease and condemnation.
Let us be brave and strong in the faith that God has given us by grace, which he renews every day for us. Let us take courage and encourage those around us to look the “giant” in the eye and warn this “giant” that we are coming in the power of the Lord. We will experience how the giants of Doubt and Fear will flee before us as we trust wholeheartedly in God.
Father, thank you that we are given renewed strength for every day so that we can face obstacles and fears bravely. Thank you that you will help us to conquer the problems of this day and crown our work and faith with your blessing, Amen.