Give Me A Hill

Hills are harder to walk than flat land, especially the older you get. Old people like to stay on flat land. It's easier on their knees and hearts. Some young people are old mentally, they don't want to climb hills or walk up mountain trails - "it's too hard" they whine; "I'm tired" they cry. They prefer the comfort of a couch than the glory of taking on a hill.

Not so for Caleb. He was the leader of his clan and when the Israelites were in the middle of taking over the promised land he wanted the most difficult place to conquer. He asked for the hill country where the Anikites (huge NBA type people) lived. And catch this - he was 85 years old.

10 "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 desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 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. 12 Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."

Joshua 14:10-12

This feisty AARP member still had adventure and glory running through his blood. He didn't want the easy place, he wanted to to take on the giants in the well-protected cities on top of the hills. He wanted to take this hill country for God and his people, and he trusted in God's strength to do it.

John Ortberg in his book "The Me I Want to Be" says that one thing you can know for sure is that "God has a mountain with your name on it." What hill does God want you to take?

.