Risk - The Way Faith Works

So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me.  You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns.  But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said. [Joshua 14.13]

It seems it would have been much more of a sure thing if the hill country mentioned by Caleb here had been conquered already!  The thing is, Caleb reminded himself and Joshua that God had promised him something!  And, because the LORD had made this promise, not even giants gave Caleb reason to pause.  Perhaps Caleb's attitude could have been deemed foolish ("if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out...") or it could then (and can now) be considered a great step of faith.

Today, I am reminded that I must do something.  That 'something' is directly tied to any and everything the LORD has promised - whether specific or general.  I am reminded that the circumstances I see (giants, perhaps) are in fact just circumstances.  When any promise of God is involved, we have the duty to walk it out regardless of circumstances!

Now, it is just as important to understand that Caleb put a bit of a disclaimer on his claim!  Caleb was very clear that he could be wrong and he could be defeated by the giants.  BUT!  Caleb was going to proceed with what he knew and, if he was wrong, would suffer greatly (perhaps even die).

Two things may be gleaned by us from Caleb's example:

1. We should know what God has promised
2. We should never allow circumstances to deter us from walking in a promise from God

The Bible is full of general promises God has made to those who trust and obey Him.  Furthermore, God, by His Spirit living in those who are reconciled by faith in the work of Christ, may also make specific promises (which will most always stem from a general promise found in the Bible).  One cannot know promises he has not first learned and taken to heart.

When one becomes convinced of a promise from God (i.e. The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want...), he will most certainly encounter circumstances that will give him every opportunity to 'back off' the promise.  All too often, we back away from promises the Bible has clearly laid out for us because circumstances scare us away.  We think that we would be better off without the promise than to attempt to obtain the promise and fail.  This thinking has nothing at all to do with faith.  On the contrary, it is pure doubt and unbelief (more often than not, erroneously called 'wisdom').

Caleb was clear on what God promised.  Caleb was clear on what he was going to do about it.  Caleb also was willing to risk 'loss' if he was wrong.  That's just the way faith works.

Father, I want to live and walk by faith.  I know it involves risks.