Articles
Give Me This Mountain
Give Me This Mountain
Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakins were there; and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said (Joshua 14:13)
Caleb is eighty-five years old and is about to be given the inheritance that was promised to him forty-five years earlier (Joshua 14:6-13, Numbers 14:21-24). His inheritance is Hebron, now occupied by a strong and fierce people who must be driven out. He faces a tremendous task yet his trust in God for the strength and courage to be able to drive the Anakins out is so great, he is not afraid to jump right into this great task. Caleb’s attitude, if the Lord is with me, I shall be able, is a soul stirring thought for you and I to consider today.
Sometimes in this life, we too, face some formidable tasks. There are times when we feel tired and weary because the cares and burdens of this life weigh so heavily on our shoulders. Times when disappointments, failures, pain and heartache become our companion. Times when a feeling of loneliness sweeps down over our soul bringing with it loneliness and emptiness that strikes deep into our heart. Thanks be to God, the faithful child of God is never alone and because of that, there is nothing that strikes our human frame that cannot be overcome with the help of him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 13:5-6, Romans 8:26-28, 31, 35-39, Hebrews 4:13-16). As a faithful child of God, we can with the greatest of confidence say, “Give me this mountain, the Lord will be with me.” Psalms 118:6, The Lord is on my side, I will not fear”—Psalms 56:11, In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid”—Isaiah 12:2, Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and song. If a spirit of fear dominates us, then we will fail; if a feeling of dread is with s every day, if a feeling of inadequacy takes residency in our heart, if we develop a defeatist attitude, then we are doomed to failure.
As we face the mountains of this life, we must keep our eyes glued on the goal set before us (Philippians 3:13-14). Our eyes must be fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-3). Paul gives us some great advice in Colossians 3:1-3 when he says, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
I find comfort and peace in a passage from Psalms 34:17-19, “The righteous cry and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” I suppose that in a feeble way, what I am trying to say is simply this: so long as God is with us, there is absolutely nothing on the face of this earth that can prevail against us. There is no limit to the power of God, his hand is never shortened, we can safely leave it all in his hands (Psalms 55:22, ` Peter 5:6-7, Psalms 23). To God be the glory forever and forever!
Charles Hicks, Gallatin Tennessee
