“You heard in that day how the Anakim were there,and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
Joshua 14:12
Caleb ’s faith in God never wavered, though everyone around him doubted. God convinced Caleb that the children ofIsrael should enter the Promised Land, but the people were intimidatedby giants and fortified cities (Num. 13:28–33). Their disbelief forcedCaleb to wait forty years in the wilderness before he finally enteredthe Promised Land. Even after all those years, Caleb was as confidentas ever in God’s power. When God was dividing the land among theIsraelites, the people were asking for the lush valleys and grassyplains. Caleb asked for a mountain. The Israelites had driven their enemies into the mountains, where they had built fortresses.
This didnot intimidate Caleb—he asked for a challenge! He did not trust in hisown strength but in God’s presence. Caleb longed to see God work inpower, and he knew he would be less likely to rely on God if he dweltin the easy places. He chose a situation in which he would have totrust in God. Caleb knew his inheritance from God was on the mountain.He refused to allow the difficulty of gaining it to stop him fromenjoying all that God had promised him. If you always choose the easyway, asking for the peaceful valleys, you will never see God’s powerdisplayed to enable you to take a mountain. Seek out the mountains,and you will witness God doing things through your life that can beexplained only by His mighty presence.
