Joshua 14. 10.

‘I am eighty-five .. I am as strong now … as I was at forty’

Caleb is the champion of the second half. Listen, ‘Give me the hill country. Even though I'm eighty-five, I'm as strong as I was at forty’, Josh. 14. 7-12. Caleb probably said this in front of a score of young men manoeuvering for easy assignments when it came to occupying the Promised Land. The hill country was full of walled cities and giants. Who wants that? The old man did!

Maybe your life has not been too impressive to date. You did not do a great job raising your children, you maybe have squandered a marriage, and followed second-class priorities and now you regret it? Do not stay there too long. We serve a God who can redeem our mistakes!

E. Stanley Jones spent more than 50 years in India. At 83 years of age, after a lifetime of constant travel during which he spoke to millions, met with Presidents and Prime Ministers and was instrumental in the conversion of multitudes, he suffered a debilitating stroke. It left him without speech or physical mobility. In his waning months before he died, Jones managed to mutter, through virtually paralyzed lips, the manuscript of a remarkable book.

In one amazing paragraph he writes: ‘There are scars on my faith, but underneath those scars there are no doubts. Christ has me with all the consent of my being. I'm 83, and I'm more excited today about being a Christian than I was at 18 when I first put my feet upon this way!’

Did you hear that? Then we need to get back in the race and start running. With God, running stumble-free does not make you a winner; it’s finishing strong that does that!

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