In the book of Joshua 14: 6- 12, we break in on a conversation that Joshua and Caleb are having in Gilgal about what had taken place over a period of the last 45 years. Read with me what Caleb was telling Joshua.
“You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to survey the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.
Never the less my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day saying, surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.
And now behold, the Lord has kept me alive as He said, these forty five years, ever since the Lord spoke those words to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty five years old.
As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me out; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength .” “Now, therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great. It may be that the, Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” And Joshua blessed him and gave him the land because Caleb wholly followed the Lord.
Now you might ask, “What does this little story have to do with you Jack?” Glad you asked because I think this little story has a lot to do with Janie and me as we finish what we started when we first moved out to the regions beyond with New Tribes Mission in August 1973 forty four years ago.
First let me say, I am as strong today as I was when I started out some forty years ago. The Joy of the Lord is my strength and “Go Ye” is my road map as I fully follow the Lord. After many years of living in Papua New Guinea I will finish my days giving a report of what is on my heart about that people.”
Papua New Guinea is my inheritance as well as my children that are serving there and we will wholly follow Him until the job is done. I know there is danger and many people will say, “It is not safe for you and your family to go” trying to discredit the message to go to the hard to reach places of the world. I wonder, is it safe not to follow the Lord’s command to go?
Like Caleb it might be that the Lord will be with Janie and me as we tell our story straight from our hearts and we will be able to drive out the fears that many have of going to the ends of the earth with the gospel message, the gift that God has placed in our hands to share.
Lord give me that mountain for my heritage and many people that will say, “Here I am send me.” Janie and I are not finished we have only begun on a new path that is before us. We are now called, “Volunteers” and trust this might be a better way for us to take this message of “Go Ye” to the land of Papua New Guinea our inheritance and that of our children as well.
Ethnos 360 is a good ride to get to the regions beyond and Janie and I would like to open the door for many, not with fancy equipment but with a story as they say in my home town, “Straight from the heart.” “Go and I will go with you.” It does not get any better that that. Jack