45 years later

I feel like over and over again I'm telling you about how little patience I have...how I find myself so often not writing for God to don the things I'm praying for, I just take matters into my own hands.

This morning at church we came across the Scripture in Joshua chapter 14 about Caleb.
For those of you not familiar with Caleb, here's what you need to know: Caleb was with Moses, Aaron, and Joshua in the Exodus (hanging out in the desert). While Moses was still the leader he sent out 12 spies to go hunt out the Promised land, Caleb was one of them. He, like Aaron and Joshua, came back and gave an honest account of what he had seen...and was thus able to enter into the Promise land later.

We find in Numbers 14 that God makes a really big promise to Caleb.
"But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it" (vs 24).

Fast forward to the book of Joshua, who is now the leader of the Israelites.
We find Caleb declaring what the Lord had promised:

"Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but the others who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. 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.’

“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! 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. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day"

(Joshua 14:-12)

Ok, that might have been a lot...so here it is really plain and simple.

Because Caleb wholeheartedly followed the Lord...He kept his promise to him.
45 years is a really long time to wait for something from God.
An extremely long time to wait for something from God.

But Caleb did it because he knew that the reward would be well worth the wait.

Patience.

I need Caleb's patience. Not only did he wonder around the desert for 40 years, but he continued to pray for that promise from God.
There is so much to learn from Caleb.

Beloved we serve such a mighty God who never makes promises that He doesn't intend to keep.
But we have to remember that it isn't on our time that He'll deliver, it's on His.
When He knows the timing is just perfect, He'll open that door.
Or give us that strength to climb a mountain.

I graduated from high school in 2007...4 years ago this May. Which hypothetically means I should be (or already) wearing that cap and gown this spring for graduation.
But I'm not.
And in the mean time, I'm watching all my close friends stroll across stages.
And if I can be honest, it used to really bug me.
Why have I taken my sweet time? Why didn't I just go off to a 4 year University and get a degree like everyone else?

Because God has something else planned for me.
He knew I'd find my husband at 20 and get married shortly after.
He knew that I'd discover this love for writing and use it to further His Kingdom.

I couldn't be more happy and proud for all my friends graduating this semester.
And I know I'll be there soon.
The plan for my life is just a little different than theirs. It's taken me a long while, not 45 years long while, but a good amount of time to come to grips with that. And each day I marvel in the blessings Gods given me. I've decided that right now in my life...following Jesus and living a Holy life is what's most important, and it's the studying and praying now, that will bless my life later as well. I'll get to that stage sooner rather than later. But for right now, I'm focused on Him. The minute I stopped worrying about my future, the more doors God opened for me.

We have to focus on following God wholeheartedly because it's then that we'll discover what His promises are for our lives.

I'm praying for you!
Your sister in Christ,
Meg