July 18, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- RESPECT LEADERSHIP DESPITE FAMILIARITY
Read previous CAC Living Water Devotionals here
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
THE LIVING WATER {July ~ Dec., 2020}
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Saturday, July 18, 2020
TOPIC: RESPECT LEADERSHIP DESPITE FAMILIARITY
Read Joshua 14:6-15 [6]Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.[7]Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.[8]Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.[9]And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.[10]And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.[11]As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.[12]Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.[13]And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.[14]Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.[15]And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
MEMORISE: 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 and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said (Joshua 14:12)
EXPOSITION
Joshua was Caleb’s pair and associate sent by Moses to espy Canaan, 45 years earlier (Num. 13:1ff; cf. Jos. 14:10). Both Joshua and Caleb still remembered the incidence very well. Were they not both fully involved in it? Were they not both at the centre of it? However, to Caleb’s credit, this didn’t make him usurp the fact that Joshua was his colleague, given that the latter had been promoted by the Lord to a position of authority. Caleb could have shown disrespect for Joshua, given their level of familiarity – familiarity brings contempt, like some do today to leaders because of their supposed closeness to such leaders. But did he do?
Examine Caleb’s tone in his address to Joshua in our text. He spoke with all dignity and respect for the leader, though a colleague of his. He spoke to Joshua like ‘my’ leader, not ‘their’ leader. Obviously, he didn’t abuse the fact that they were most likely of the same age-group – peers and co-workers. He remembered and acknowledged the fact that God had placed Joshua over him for His eternal purpose.
How do you feel when your former colleague, age mate, associate, family member, town’s person, or someone you are close to assumes position of authority – angry, envious, proud, opportunistic, ‘It’s my turn’, or humble and submissive? Caleb wasn’t negative in his attitude to Joshua, the God-ordained leader of His people, despite that they were colleagues, hence God’s blessings upon his life and lineage (Jos. 14:13-15). Promotion that does not come from God is no promotion. Respect the God-given leaders.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Ask God to forgive you at those points you have reacted negatively to people in positions of authority all because of your closeness to them.
2. Ask God for the grace to see those in positions of authority over you the way God sees them, and respect them to accomplish God’s purpose.
3. Pray for as many as possible people in positions of authority, that they would find God’s grace to succeed in their God-ordained tasks.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Nehemiah 12; Hebrews 8 – 9
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!