You are never too old

May 28, 2022

This week we read Joshua 11 to 20. In it we read how Joshua continued to conquer kings. Joshua 12 lists all 31 kings that he conquered. Starting in chapter 14 we read about each tribe getting a certain amount of land. The first person allotted the land was Caleb. Forty years prior to this, Caleb and Joshua were 2 of the 12 spies who were to visit the land of Canaan and report back to Moses. When they came back 10 of the spies were afraid because the people were large. Joshua and Caleb were not. Numbers 14:6-9 says, “⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

The people were afraid, however, and they did not go into the land. Because of their lack of trust in God, they wandered the desert for 40 years. Numbers 32:11-12 says, “ ¹¹ Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— ¹² not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ ¹³ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.”

Thus, forty years later, Joshua lead the Isrealites into the promise land, and Caleb was the first to receive land. Joshua 14:9 says, “⁹ So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.”

Joshua 14:10-12 says about Caleb, “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! ¹¹ I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. ¹² Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

I love Joshua and Caleb’s heart. They were both elder. This did not stop them. They knew God had a purpose for their life and they were motivated to pursue it, no matter the age.

God has a purpose for our lives as well, no matter the age. I am reminded of an older gentleman from my old church. It was well advanced in years and his wife had passed. He made a large impact on many people in our church and we wanted to honor him, so we had a party at the assisted living facility he lived. He was not physically strong at the time. He had Parkinsons Disease and was wheelchair bound and had a difficult time sitting straight up due to arthritis. This did not cause him to feel sorry for himself. A large group of us went to visit and we brought food, and wanted to love on him. He told us that he was sorry and could not eat with us today because he was fasting and praying for a grandchild that was going through a hard time. He did not care that he was not physically strong. He was still spiritually strong and using what he had to give to the Lord and his family.

We are never too old to serve the Lord. God has many plans for our lives, until the very last breath. Those plans do not stop because we age.

What do you plan to do with the days you have left?  

What about when you retire? Will you still serve the Lord with all that you have?

What are ways you can serve right now?

Next week we will finish Joshua and read chapters 21-24.

Happy Memorial Day today, and thank you to all the people who have made our freedom possible.