Faithful to the End

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Friday, February 15, 2008

"So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as an inheritance. Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb . . . because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel." —Joshua 14:13-14

Today I want to look at one of the unsung heroes of the Bible. His name was Caleb, and he never lost his edge spiritually. In his own words, he said, "I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then" (Joshua 14:11). What makes that statement so significant is that Caleb was 85 years old when he said it!

What was the secret to Caleb's spiritual longevity? Caleb wholly followed the Lord. If we want spiritual longevity, we must do the same. But this means giving 100 percent to God.

Often, when our lives are in trouble, we expect God to drop everything, run to us, and take care of our problems. Then when it comes to us doing our part for Him, it is amazing how busy we can be. My schedule is so full. I don't have time for Bible study. I have tons of time for TV and reading magazines and talking on the cell phone, but I don't have time for the Word of God. I don't know if I have time to go to church this week, either.

If your heart is right with God, it will be shown in the way you spend your time. It will be shown in the way you live your life. If you are wholly following the Lord as Caleb did, then you will want to give God your best, not your leftovers. That was the secret to Caleb's spiritual longevity.

Used with Permission