faith like Caleb

The last couple weeks I've been reading Joshua. Wow... so much packed into this book!!

Stopped in chapter 14 this morning... challenged and inspired by Caleb's faith in Joshua 14:6-15. Here is an 85 year old man--the only aged man besides Joshua who saw both the wilderness and the promised land--who asks for the remaining city of giants as his inheritance, staking his claim on the promise God had given him forty-five years before. Man. I can just picture him standing there, eyes flashing boldly:

“Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 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. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said" (Joshua 14:10-12, NCV).

I want that kind of faith. That unwavering confidence. That zealous spirit to recognize, claim, and strive after the realization of God's promises... in my own life, and in the lives of those around me. Amazing!

When I look back in Caleb's life, I see it rooted in two, simple things: (1) belief (that God is who He says and will do what He promises), and (2) obedience (putting feet to his faith). And I am encouraged... because Caleb's God, and my God... they are One and the same. Hallelujah!!!

leaving asia

I was riding in the back of a tuk-tuk, hearing the sputtering engine... small bursts of adrenaline at each acceleration, feeling the seat tip slightly back, as if it will go over backwards.

I've only been here a month, and a part of me is sad to leave.
It's one of those days I just don't understand my heart.
Days where the unfamiliar is uncomfortable.
And yet being uncomfortable is familiar.
So, that familiarity is a comfortable place to be.

I am drawn to the unknown. To the unfamiliar.
To the adventurous mingling of both excitement and fear.
Yet, simultaneously, feel a pull towards the known,
the safety of the familiar, where I can let my guard down.

In 11 days, I will return to East Africa. The place I left my heart 14 months ago.

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you were terrified to hope for it?
Even when it looked like it would happen, you were terrified to let your heart believe it was true?
Because, if it doesn't end up working out after all... you knew devastation would be inevitable?
I fear to hope... to let myself believe it's true... until I step off the airplane and onto her soil, this continent that is so deeply rooted in my heart... until I wrap my arms around these people who are so very precious to me.

He delights in this...

Excerpts from a sermon by David Platt of the Church at Brookhills. I'm sorry, I do not recall which one... just found this quote I'd transcribed when I listened to the message...  AMAZING, this God who delights to be so frequently 'bothered' by little me!!!

God delights in revealing himself to those who are bold enough to bother Him.

Imagine there's a time in my life where I'm really, really busy, and traveling, and the weight of things at church are really heavy - so I'm feeling crowded in all around and my wife comes to me and says, "David, I know you're really busy and have a lot of your plate, but I've got some things going on in my life that I'm struggling with and I don't want to bother you with them but I do want to share them with you."

She's hesitant to do that cause she doesn't want to bother me. When that happens, what am I going to say to my wife? "Yeah there is a lot going on, but I want you to bother me with the burdens and hurts in your life. In fact, I delight in the fact that I'm the one you come to to bother with those things and the only thing that would really bother me is if you went to someone else instead of coming to me with those things. That's why I'm here. I want to be bothered by the things in your life."

Now get the picture! Yes, God is sovereign. Yes, He is in control of the whole universe. And He is carrying out His purposes and His plans. Here's the beauty... He delights... He absolutely delights in being the One you come to with your hurts and your cares and your struggles! Please let this soak in!

God delights in revealing himself to you when you're bold enough to bother him. In fact, I think He would say the only thing that bothers him is when you don't come to him with those things and you go to someone or something else with them.