Trust and Obey

In Joshua 14 it says three times that Caleb "wholly followed the Lord". When the rest of the nation settled for less, Caleb wholly followed the Lord. As I consider that remarkable statement it raises a few questions for me.

The first is, "What does it mean to wholly follow the Lord"? Since it was commended and rewarded I want to know what it means. I think we glean a clue from Caleb's own words in Joshua 14:12. He says, "It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said." In this statement I see two very important elements of "wholly following the Lord".

The first is trust. He says, "It may be that the Lord will be with me,...." From this we see that Caleb's eyes were on the Lord. Though the challenge before him was large, as it was earlier, He would trust in the Lord. He believed that if the Lord was with him, he would be successful.

You might ask, "Is such a trust warranted?" I love the way Psalm 146 answers that. After saying how foolish it is to trust in princes because they die and their plans perish with them, the psalmist points out how wise it is to trust in the Lord. After all, He is the One who made heaven and earth. He keeps faith forever. He shows Himself to be a strong help to those in need. Though He reigns over all and can do as He pleases, He is known for His steadfast love and mercy. It is indeed wise to place one's trust in a God like that!

The second aspect of wholly following the Lord is obedience. Caleb said, "...and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said." Not only would Caleb trust in the Lord, but he would also act on that trust. He would do as the Lord commanded and possess the land the Lord promised to give them.

Now there is an imporant lesson in this point. Our trust, if it be true and if it be placed in a proper object of trust, has to usher out into obedient living. It is interesting to note that in Jeremiah 7 the people had trust, but it was misplaced trust. They trusted not in the Lord of heaven and earth, but in a building - the temple. And because their trust was misplaced, so their obedience was misplaced. Actually it was missing! Their misplaced trust led to behavior that was abhorrent to the Lord. In fact, His wrath would be poured out on them and on the object of their trust.

There is an old hymn which encapsulates what it means to "wholly follow the Lord". It is the hymn "Trust and Obey". It opens with these words, "Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." When it comes right down to it, the Christian life is about looking to Jesus in trust. It is about believing that if Christ is with us we can move forward to possess all that the Lord has promised. When our trust is solidly placed in the Lord, it naturally (or supernaturally) ushers out into obedient living and the possessing of all that the Lord intends for His people.

Today, as you live out your faith, remember to trust and obey. There really is no other way!