Able to Keep

"To Him who is able to keep you…. and present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy....be glory .. forever. (Jude 24-25)

Often due to various reasons such as problems, obstacles and difficulties, we give up the original ' grip' and quit halfway before reaching the goals we have set out for. We need the 'keeping power' to keep us going and to achieve what we want.

Caleb, in the O. T., stands tall and distinguished among all those who stay put and continue despite extreme situations. Caleb speaks to us of God's keeping power.

Caleb gives testimony saying, he is as strong at 85 as he was 45 years ago when he began to walk with God-both for exceptional or extraordinary situations like war and also for ordinary everyday living. And he says God kept him! Yes, God alone can and will maintain us in His grace and enable us to fulfill His divinely appointed plan for our lives. But how did Caleb experience-God's keeping power? Let us focus on Numbers 13:25-33; 14:l-10; Joshua 14:6-14 and learn of the factors that enabled Caleb to experience God's keeping power, so that we too can experience the same now and all the days of our life on earth.

1. Caleb wholly followed the Lord: Joshua 14:14.

Right from the start Caleb's heart was one with God and His ways. Caleb committed himself to believe and follow the LORD wholeheartedly. That's the secret! The very name 'Caleb' means 'Wholehearted'. How often it has been with us as if we were being pulled, dragged and pushed to follow the Lord because of our unwilling, disobedient, rebellious and half-hearted commitment to follow Him? Rather, He said very clearly and definitely that he is not fit for the Kingdom who is not wholly committed to love and serve Him. Matthew 10:37-39; Lk 9:62. How about you?

2. Caleb does the will of God and does it at once: Numbers 13:30.

When the majority(10 spies) were not able to see or do God's will, Caleb says, 'let us go at once'. Caleb knew very well that if it is God's will, nothing can stop them from going ahead and doing what God said. And Caleb kept his eyes on doing God's will rather than what others say or on the problems before them. Others could only see difficulties and obstacles in the way which blurred and blocked their vision to see God's keeping power. However difficult or even impossible the way ahead may appear, we need not fear, nor retreat, if we know for certain and are committed to, doing God's will and nothing short of it! (Romans 12:1-2) Amen !

3. Caleb kept God's promises in view: Nu. 14:8,9.

When the whole lot of spies, with their bad report turned the focus of the people to the difficulties to be encountered in claiming and conquering what is ahead of them but already given to them by God, Caleb kept his eyes on the promises of God. Oh! What a change of perspective! Yes, it all depends upon what you keep in view. God's promises are trustworthy and they never fail and nothing can stop them from their fulfillment. Hallelujah! What is your perspective? What is in your view? Let us look steadfastly and concentrate on God's abiding promises and thereby inherit all that is ours by faith in Christ. 2Pe .1: 3.4.

4. Caleb trusted in the Lord rather than in himself like many others: Nu.13: 31-33.

It is natural that when we see a problem, we look at ourselves, our abilities, talents, and resources and depend upon them to give us success. Caleb did not even for a moment look at himself but looked to God who is with him and them too. Whereas others, even measured the strength and height of the people and their own inability to measure up to them. Ps.118: 8-9-says -It is better to trust in the Lord than anyone else. In John's epistle one 4:4, we find the promise that He who is in us is mightier than the one (the enemy) in the world. Hallelujah! Apostle Paul asks the challenging question in Romans 8:31--'if God be for us who can be against us? None! May we hold onto the Lord and His Word? Pro .3:5,6.

5.Caleb encouraged others: Nu. 13:30:14:7-9.

Some people make others depressed and down by their discouraging report but others bring joy and hope by their encouraging words. When the 10 spies brought such a discouraging report, all the congregation of Israel began to weep and wail and even despaired to die. But Caleb despised the difficulties in the way of realizing God's promises to go and claim the Promised Land and thus honored God. Caleb esteemed the obstacles lightly by saying that the fearful Israel people treat the tall and terrifying Anakims (meaning long-necked) as bread meant for consumption to make them strong! What an encouragement in the midst of discouraging and depressing situation! That's how Caleb stirred the people to possess the Promised Land.

Yes, in our life too, the Anakims are there by divine appointment as a means of our spiritual progress. Your spiritual strength is based on how many Anakims you faced and experienced in your life. I.e. the way you have responded and overcome, the various trials, afflictions and tests in life. They are the means God uses to build our spiritual lives to go from strength to strength. Let us prepare ourselves to encourage one another to face whatever challenges and struggles we may have to encounter on our way to our victory-Canaan land. Psalm 84:4-7.

That's how Caleb experienced God's keeping power, and got 'Hebron' (meaning fellowship) as his portion of the land. Caleb's fellowship with God and His people was maintained and even became more intimate. May our fellowship with God and with His people be much closer and real as the days go by? 1Cor.l: 8-9.

Look at these encouraging statements by the greatest of apostles -

1 Peter 1:3-5; 2 Tim. I: 12.

May you have this courage, confidence and continual joy to live in and experience God's keeping power today, tomorrow and till the end. Remember, HE IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU...

(Dan.3: 17; 1Pe.l: 7) - in the fiery trials.

(Mk.4: 39,40) - in the fearful storms,

(1Pet.5: 8;Ro.16: 20) - from the ferocious enemies,

(Heb.3: 12) -from falling away,

(Ps.23: 4) - through the valleys,

(Jn.10: 28) - secure in His hands always. Amen!