Joshua 14:10-11 Now look at me: God has kept me alive, as he promised. It is now forty-five years since God spoke this word to Moses, years in which Israel wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I’m as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out.

Right after the exodus from Egypt, Caleb was sent alongside Joshua and ten other scouts to explore the Promised Land and see what it was like. The vast majority of them stared at the giants and advised the people not to enter the land.

The net effect was that they wandered in the desert for 40 years. This was not just a minor misstep on the part of the Israelites. I mean, they could have saved themselves 40 years of trudging around in the desert and lived on milk and honey, so to speak.

Caleb and Joshua saw a different picture. Caleb saw the milk. He saw the honey, and yes, even though he also saw the giants, he said that his God was much greater than those guys.

That day, God made a promise to Caleb that one day he would enter the Promised Land. And now, 45 years later, God’s promise was coming true.

When Caleb said that he was 85 and still as strong as an ox, he wasn’t bragging. He actually meant that God’s promise had carried him through the difficult time in the desert. He not only survived and waited out the time, but he also kept believing.

Caleb’s life shows that intimacy with God is formed in times of waiting. He didn’t live on one great spiritual experience but held on to God’s promises with everything in him. Listen carefully. He did not allow bitterness, disappointment or even his age to steal his calling, dreams or faith.

We can learn a lot from Caleb. We, who are in such a hurry, must wait. We must keep believing. We must keep dreaming and know that God will show up. We must also know that God will fulfil His promises, so that we will end up where He has planned for us. And remember to embrace the entirety of the journey, even when it leads you down unexpected paths.

Prayer
Father, help me to wait like Caleb and to keep believing that You will come. Help me to keep strong …

Questions
What promise of God am I still waiting to see fulfilled?
How do I handle waiting times? Do I get discouraged, or do I keep believing?
Do I allow disappointment or time to steal my faith?

Do this now
Today, write down one promise you believe God has given you and read it out loud again.
Remind yourself of how God has carried you through difficult times and thank Him for it.
Choose today not to give up. Take just one small step that proves you still believe, even if the promise takes a long time to unfold.