Loyal Friend

Our granddog, Gabe

"But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to Me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of the land." 
(Numbers 14:23-25)

     "Loyalty" is the foundation of the old proverb "a dog is a man's best friend." Just look at Gabe. As soon as Dan got on the 4-wheeler, this 90-pound friend-that-sticks-closer-than-a-brother hopped in his lap, because the desire of his heart is to stay close to his master.

     In the book of Numbers, the Lord commanded Moses, "Send 12 men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give you." Forty days later, the spies returned reporting a beautiful land flowing with milk and honey where a single cluster of grapes had to be carried on a pole between 2 men! "But, nevertheless," they said, "the people are strong, the cities are fortified, and we saw giants! Woe is me; we are surely done for!"
     Yet loyal Caleb believed God and shouted, "We should by all means go up and take possession of the land! For we will surely overcome it, because the Lord God Himself will certainly bring us into the land!"
     The book of Joshua (the only other spy who, along with Caleb, believed what God said more than what he saw) records that forty-five years later, at the age of 85, Caleb took the hill country of the promised land - the place of the giants and fortified cities - because he followed the Lord God of Israel fully! 
     As to the other 10 spies? Their corpses lay in the desert sands of fear and unbelief.

      WARNING! Do NOT allow fear and unbelief to cause you to miss the promised blessings of God. Stick to the Lord like glue, be His loyal friend, and then follow your Master into the promised land!