Old is good! -- Part II

In these passages, Caleb gives an account to Joshua of his faithfulness. He recalls how, 45 years earlier, he and Joshua gave their report about the Promised Land and stood alone against the other 10 spies and a cowardly mob. They said beware of the giants, but Caleb stood true to his conviction in the power of God. He urged the people to trust God for victory. The faith of Caleb and Joshua was unshaken, and God set them apart to inherit the new land. If the story ended there, Caleb would be a towering example of faith. But, his story keeps growing and growing with decades of desert wandering, courage, sacrifice and obedience.

Now, at the age of 85, when most people think about the past, Caleb is energized to fulfill God's promise. In fact, he says he feels just as strong as he did when Moses sent him on that journey. Most people don't want to take on new challenges at that age, but Caleb pleads to Joshua to let him lead the battle against the Anakites (the so-called giants). Joshua grants his request and, amazingly, the next chapter of Joshua describes how Caleb fights as a courageous warrior and enlarges their inheritance more than expected. This is a great example of diligence. It's one thing to have your faith strengthened by a test -- another to build that strength with lifelong faithful obedience in order to bring ultimate glory to God. Old is good, because it gives us that much more time to get His work done!

Old is good!

My wife works in geriatrics and, as long as I've known her, she's had the "upside down" philosophy that old is good. In fact, the older the better. We are always collecting stories about people that have achieved great things late in life. Perhaps the best example of geriatric greatness is found in Joshua 14:6-14 in the account of Caleb.

(Summary) Joshua has just led the Israelites into the promised land where Caleb asks about his people's inheritance. He reminds Joshua about the time when he was sent by Moses along with 11 others to scout the land of Canaan. He came back and gave an honest report with faith that God would deliver them -- while his fellow spies doubted God's plan and spread fear among the people. Moses promised Caleb that he would one day be granted this land because of his great faith. Now, 45 years of wandering later, he is making his plea to Joshua to fulfill that promise.

Read the biblical account in Numbers and reflect on what has kept Caleb strong and faithful. How does he feel at 85? And, what did he take on at that age? For some geriatric wisdom -- check back soon.

A Sweet Perfume -- Part II

At the beginning of the passage, Paul compares his victory in Christ with the triumphant procession of a conquering Roman army. As the Romans marched, enemy prisoners were forced to follow in the victory parade. Now Paul is Christ's captive and he is marching in His victory parade. This is the "triumph in defeat" paradox of the Gospel message. The Romans burned incense in their processions -- but Paul talks about the sweet fragrance being the "knowledge of Christ" that is to be spread throughout the world. This symbolism is used in Catholic mass, when the priest sways the burning incense in a procession down the aisle of the church.

In the book "How to Stay Christian in College," author J. Budziszewski says that verses 14-16 hold the key to strengthening the great Christian virtue of discernment. For instance, if a physics teacher says "the material universe is all there is" -- you might think, "that smells fishy since physicists say the world has a beginning, and didn't something have to make it begin?" Or, if a literature teacher says, "there are no absolutes" -- and you might think "that smells fishy because how can he be absolutely sure about that? In 2 Corinthians, Paul says that how things smell depends on whether you are "being saved" or "perishing" -- whether you are following Christ or turned the other way. As Christians, we need to work on developing our discernment by our obedience to Christ, by studying God's word, and by asking God for discernment in our lives. We need more of that "Sweet Perfume" in our lives -- more of that wisdom like Solomon.

A Sweet Perfume

If you are dating, you know the importance of hygiene and smelling good. You want to put your best foot forward and be attractive to your date. Take a look at 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 and you'll see that Paul is talking about another type of perfume that is key to our identity as Christians. This is the sweet perfume that is the knowledge of Christ.

(Summary) Paul thanks God that he has triumphed and leads us in his glorious way. We are to spread His word like a sweet perfume. Our lives must take on this Christ-like fragrance that is not going to appeal to everyone. Sinners are going to be threatened and repulsed by it. But those open to God's message will be cleansed and saved.

Read Paul's words from the Scripture and think about how this perfume applies to our lives. How can we be more perceptive to a good vs. bad fragrance? How can we be sure we're equipped with the kind of fragrance that will be attractive to others? Check back soon.

Be Like Aaron and Hur -- Part II

I wasn't familiar with the story of Aaron and Hur until one pivotal moment in our family life. Bear with me, while I give you a little background. My wife and I homeschooled our three kids throughout their Elementary and Jr. High years. I was all set to take on High School when I taught my oldest daughter and a few friends a class in Biology. That was an eye opener. The volume of material and prep time seemed to take over my schedule. I couldn't see how I could teach one child High School, and still manage to teach the other two. I started to question whether I had the right stuff to continue homeschooling. That's when I decided to check out a Classical Christian program called The Greenhouse.

At their open house, the headmaster made it clear that their program was God-centered -- and, because they taught only the core subjects, we would still be homeschooling and in charge of our child's education. I could already see the benefits of the program, when he sealed the deal with a little story. He said, "think of us like Aaron and Hur in the Old Testament." "As long as Moses held his staff in the air, Joshua had the upper hand in battle. Then, when he got tired -- Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him and held his arms up. Think of The Greenhouse as your helper that is coming to your side to assure that your kids can excel in a Christian homeschool setting."

I was a virtual stranger in that meeting but I felt affirmed that I was seeking God's will for my kids. When you're in line with God, even in such an unassuming way, you can feel a bit like Moses. I learned that faith in action comes being like Aaron and Hur. That's what The Greenhouse is all about -- dedication to being a Christ-like servant. Now I want to help and encourage others who are seeking God's will. And, I want to lift up God's word (like Moses' staff) wherever I can. That way, I can be assured of victory -- just like Joshua.

Be Like Aaron and Hur

I've heard that the most overlooked things are often the ones that come after something really significant. Gem 5 is a story about Moses that comes just after he parted the Red Sea and led his people out of Egypt. The verses are Exodus 17:8-13. In the story, Moses once again works a miracle of God, but this time with a little help from his friends Aaron and Hur.

(Summary) The Amalekite army didn't like the idea of Moses and his people intruding on their land and planned an attack. Moses sent Joshua and an army of his own to meet them. To assure victory, Moses stood on a hill overlooking the battle with the staff of God upraised. As long as his staff was upraised, the Israelites had the advantage. But, whenever Moses dropped his hand, they faltered. Before long, Moses' arms were so tired he could not keep them raised. That's when Aaron and Hur stepped in to help. They stood on each side of Moses and raised his arms for him. They persevered until sunset and Joshua was able to overwhelm his opponents.

Read the account in Exodus for yourself and think about the application for us today. How can we know when God is with us? Do we have friends like Aaron and Hur? How can we be more like them? Check back soon.