Day 29 — Strong at Eighty-Five

“So here I am today, eighty-five years old, still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. As my strength was then, so it is now for war, for going out, and for coming in.”

— Joshua 14:10–11 (BSB)

Remember Caleb from Book 1? He was one of the twelve spies Moses sent into the Promised Land. Ten of the spies came back scared: The people there are giants! We can’t beat them! But Caleb and Joshua trusted God and said, We can do it, because God is with us!

Because of the other spies’ fear, God’s people had to wander in the wilderness for forty years. But God promised Caleb that one day, he would receive a piece of the land for himself.

Forty-five years later, God’s people were finally in the Promised Land. And an old man walked up to Joshua. It was Caleb, now eighty-five years old!

And listen to what he said: “Here I am today, eighty-five years old, still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out.” Then he asked for the hill country, the very place where the giants lived, the place that had scared the other spies so badly all those years ago. Give me that mountain! And he went and took it.

Caleb didn’t retire. He didn’t coast. He didn’t say, “I’m old; let the young guys handle it.” At eighty-five, he was still trusting God, still brave, still ready for the next adventure.

That’s what it means to finish well. Lots of guys start out strong for God. But the men who really make a difference are the ones who keep going, their whole lives, all the way to the end.

How do you become a man like Caleb?

• Follow God with your whole heart now. The Bible says Caleb “wholly followed the LORD.” That habit started when he was young.
• Keep trusting God’s promises, even when you have to wait a long time.
• Stay brave. Don’t let fear make your decisions.
• Take care of your body. Caleb was still strong at eighty-five!
• Never stop growing. There’s always another mountain to climb with God.

Every day you choose to follow Jesus is a step toward finishing well.

Think about it: Do you know an older man who is still following God with his whole heart? What can you learn from him?

Try this: Ask an older Christian man, “What has helped you keep following God for so long?” Write down his answer.

Dear God, thank You for Caleb, who was still strong and brave at eighty-five. Help me follow You with my whole heart my whole life, and never stop trusting You. Help me finish well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.