老而彌堅
約書亞記十四章6至15節
6那時，猶大人來到吉甲見約書亞，有基尼洗族耶孚尼的兒子迦勒對約書亞說：耶和華在加低斯巴尼亞指著我與你對神人摩西所說的話，你都知道了。
7耶和華的僕人摩西從加低斯巴尼亞打發我窺探這地，那時我正四十歲；我按著心意回報他。
8然而，同我上去的眾弟兄使百姓的心消化；但我專心跟從耶和華─我的神。
9當日摩西起誓說：你腳所踏之地定要歸你和你的子孫永遠為業，因為你專心跟從耶和華─我的神。
10自從耶和華對摩西說這話的時候，耶和華照他所應許的使我存活這四十五年；其間以色列人在曠野行走。看哪，現今我八十五歲了，
11我還是強壯，像摩西打發我去的那天一樣；無論是爭戰，是出入，我的力量那時如何，現在還是如何。
12求你將耶和華那日應許我的這山地給我；那裡有亞衲族人，並寬大堅固的城，你也曾聽見了。或者耶和華照他所應許的與我同在，我就把他們趕出去。
13於是約書亞為耶孚尼的兒子迦勒祝福，將希伯崙給他為業。
14所以希伯崙作了基尼洗族耶孚尼的兒子迦勒的產業，直到今日，因為他專心跟從耶和華─以色列的神。
15希伯崙從前名叫基列亞巴；亞巴是亞衲族中最尊大的人。於是國中太平，沒有爭戰了。
信息分享
昨天，我們看到以色列的十二支派如何按照神的吩咐分配土地；今天，突然有一個八十五歲的長者出現，打擾了分地的過程。這位長者報上自己所屬的支派名字之後，便大膽地走到約書亞的面前，要求分得最大的山地！
這個長者，就是上一代以色列人中，唯一能與約書亞一同進入應許地的迦勒。迦勒要求分得的山地，仍然屬於迦南人的佔領範圍；但迦勒卻全不理會，因為他相信神必按照應許，把那塊山地賜給他。
試想，一個八十五歲的長者仍然夢想著佔領一塊山地；而且，他還表示自己可以親自作戰，去奪取那地！迦勒還是昔日那個與眾不同的迦勒；他的年紀愈大，對神的信心就似乎愈強，屬靈的視野亦似乎愈遠。他讓我們明白，一些重要的人生經歷，可以在人的晚年發生；而且，在事奉神的工作上，根本沒有固定的退休年齡。我們有時稱晚年是「黃昏之年」，然而，無限的美景卻往往是在日落的黃昏！
讓我們想像迦勒的對話：「將那塊山地給我。」「可是，迦勒，那地的居民都是身材魁梧的巨人。」「那又如何？」迦勒說，「神必與我同在。」「那裡還有堅居的城牆。」「那又如何？」迦勒說，「任何城牆都擋不住神。」「然而，迦勒，你已經八十五歲了！」「年齡有甚麼關係？」迦勒說，「我已經等了四十五年，才等到今天。現在是神所定的時間，我的年齡怎會對神造成困難？」
迦勒究竟要求分得哪塊地？那就是亞伯拉罕稱為「希伯崙」的地方。當亞伯拉罕從埃及回來的時候，他便在希伯崙遇見神，並得到神的祝福。迦勒想要的，正是這塊地。神曾經應許把那地賜給他，他只是想照著神的應許獲得那地。
讓我們都以迦勒作為榜樣：他對神的信心堅定不移，堅決信靠神必成就祂的應許，不會因外在環境的因素而動搖信心。
禱告：
「主啊，無論我到了甚麼年紀，求你使我能像迦勒一樣地全然信靠你。」
A GRAND OLD MAN OF FAITH
Joshua 14: 6-15
6 Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea.
7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.
8 Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’
10 And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.
11 As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.
12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for 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.”
13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.
14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
15 And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). Then the land had rest from war.
Message
Yesterday we were reading about the division of the land among the 12 tribes. Now suddenly the picture is interrupted by a grand old man of 85. He stepped out of the ranks of his tribe and boldly walked up to Joshua and asked for the biggest mountain anyone could see!
It didn't matter to Caleb that the mountain was still possessed by the Canaanites. He believed God was on his side and would give him what he had promised.
Imagine it! 85 years old and wanting to take on a whole mountain. He even said he was a man of war - at 85. But Caleb was different from all the others. He always had been. The passing years only seemed to make him grow stronger in faith and in spiritual vision. He shows us how some of the greatest things in life can take place even in old age and that there is no fixed retiring age in God's service. 'Sunset years' we sometimes call old age. But the sun is never more beautiful than when it is setting.
What did Caleb say? 'Give me this mountain.' 'But Caleb there are giant there.' 'So what!', 'So what!', says Caleb, 'God is greater than any fenced city'. 'But Caleb you are 85 now. 'What has that got to do with it?', asked Caleb. 'I have waited 45 years for this and now it is in sight. Now is God's time and my age doesn't with God.'
What was the place Caleb wanted? It was the place Abraham had called Hebron. It was where Abraham was wonderfully blessed when God met him as he returned from Egypt. Caleb wanted that place. God had promised it to him and he wanted what God had promised.
Remember Caleb, the man with the vision of what God can do. He had a faith that believed God could do anything and a heart that would not be turned aside.
A Prayer:
Lord make us more like Caleb whether we are young or old.'