Bible reading for 40.Day 2025 | Joshua 14:9-12

I have a bunch of medals that I have collected over my many years of completing marathons and triathlons. They are not your Olympic gold, silver or bronze medals but race finisher medals, given to all participants crossing the finish line. Ask anyone who has one – they are special and precious, full of memories, the pain, the hard work, the joy and exhilaration of crossing that finish line.

I was never in it for the competition, just a personal challenge, to keep fit and to stay fit. And for each race I had just one simple goal: “Just finish lah!”

Crossing the finish line

For many seniors in this season of running the race called life, it is not uncommon to ask, “Is it all just about crossing the finish line? Or is there more?”

Through these finisher medals, I have learnt something about myself and about life too, especially from my last few races. After pushing myself flat out for the last 100 to 200 metres, as I step over the finish line – celebrating, gasping and totally out of breath – I strangely feel that I could have maybe given more.

There would always be something nagging at me: Maybe I could have committed myself earlier in the race, worried less and not held back, had more faith to go all the way and even enjoyed the race more. Yes, I did finish the race happy, alive and well, but still somehow feeling that it was not quite “All In, all the way”.

This reminds me of 85-year-old Caleb in Joshua 14, as he neared his own finish line and as Joshua was parcelling out the inheritances to God’s people.

Senior Caleb boldly stepped forward and asked, “Give me this mountain!” Not the easy plains or manicured gardens, but “Give me this hill country!” Wow!

Now what moved Old Man Caleb to do this? I must admit that, in my earlier readings of Caleb’s declaration, “Give me this mountain”, I saw it like his one last dash to get over the finish line. He was, by all measures, in a good place to “just finish lah!”, pick up his finisher’s medal, celebrate and live happily ever after.

What stirred him to sense that there was more? What bothered him enough to step forward and boldly ask, “Give me this mountain!”?

Here is what Caleb said in Joshua 14:9-12:

“So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’ ‘Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day…’”

Finishing our race well

“Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised…” This is finishing All In, all the way! Pursuing the promises of God all the way!

It is not just about completing a task or mission, going faster or even longer. It is about a generation crossing the finish line wholeheartedly, believing what God has promised that we will receive and what the Lord has granted as an inheritance we have claimed.

Caleb shows us that this is not a desperate, do-or-die, chiong-to-the-end (charge to the end) type of faith, but a confident trust and belief that what God has promised will come to pass – not just for him and his generation, but for his tribe and the generations to come.

Like Paul, he can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

But here is the big point today: Finishing All In all the way is for every generation! Because the inheritance God has prepared for us points us to our life’s calling and purpose: Our legacy, our destiny.

The Promised Land that has been specially set apart for you is unique to you, and the blessings are there when you step in. It is therefore crucial that each generation takes possession of its God-given inheritance and purpose.

Just as it was said of King David in Acts 13:36, “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.”

Let’s pray:

Lord, bless us to go All In all the way, taking possession of Your promises and inheritance. Help us to live purposefully and passionately for Your Kingdom. And as we cross the line for our finisher’s medal, may we hear You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Reflect: 

1. As we reflect on where we are in our Christian walk, do we believe we have more to give to God’s work, or are we slowing down into self-imposed “retirement”? Why?

2. What does it mean for us to go “All In all the way” for the Lord? What would that look like today for you?

3. Caleb did not think of himself as incapable or unworthy just because he was old. What false beliefs do we hold about ourselves and our capacity as we age? What will we do about them?

Pray: 

1. That we will stir up our faith and declare to God “Give us this mountain!”, no matter how old we are.

2. That we will determine to live passionately and purposefully for the Lord, not afraid to take hold of the unique promises He has given each of us.

3. That we will go All In all the way for the Lord – young or old – to see His Kingdom come, His will be done.

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