Caleb's first name is actually not Caleb, it is Joshua. However, he has gone by his middle name since birth. I think he has one of the best names ever. So, I have been thinking a lot about his name as we celebrated his birthday yesterday. Well, I have actually thought of how well suited his name is for him for months now. His parents did a great job naming him on so many levels.
They named him after two of the most amazing men in the Bible. Joshua and Caleb. And Caleb takes after both of them more then his parents probably would have ever guessed when he was born.
Many know that one of my favorite books in the Bible is Deuteronomy. I often go back to it to read when I have gone through a time of struggle; its just familiar to me. And it is great cause the first chapter speaks of Joshua and Caleb.
In this chapter, it says that Caleb "wholly followed the LORD." Those who know my husband, even a little, know that this is especially true of him as well. Just like Caleb in the Bible who stood out among those around him, so does my husband stand out by his undeniably unwavering faith and pure love for his God. It is hard to explain, unless you actually get the privilege to get to know him, how loyal and fully Caleb loves and trusts God.
You see, Joshua and Caleb, along with the people of Isreal, were told by God that He was going to give them a certain area of land. When they and the others went and spied out the land, everybody came back saying that the land was beautiful and full of amazing food for them...but it was full of people much bigger and stronger then them. They did not trust God guiding them there or in His strength to go with them, instead they were scared of the giant people in the land. Only Joshua and Caleb, out of all the people, trusted God and obeyed Him. As a result, they were the only two God allowed to go into and possess the amazing land. God wanted to bless the people, but Joshua and Caleb were the ones that trusted God to get them there. And they were the two, that in the end, received His blessing.
This has been huge in our lives recently. We have faced our own giants as we have struggled with Caleb's medical condition. It can leave us uncertain at times about so many things...dreams, finances, hopes, our future. But Caleb's unwavering faith has carried me through, and continues to. I don't think you can appreciate a simple and pure faith that God is big until you meet somebody like my husband. He is unwavering in His faith that God is with us, will provide for us, He is helping us, and is good to us. I never heard Caleb complain once while he suffered more then I have ever seen anybody suffer. Instead he just kept saying that we can trust God and that he only wanted to be faithful. His faith helped me so much these last six months. And so did his joy in the midst of pain.
And on another side note, the actual meaning of the name Caleb is unclear between a couple different things. First, and appropriately, it could mean "faithful, devoted, and whole hearted." The other could mean "loyal dog." :) Think man's (or woman...me!) best friend. Again, only those who know him will appreciate how appropriate both of those meanings are.
So all to say, I am appreciating my husband on so many levels as we celebrated his birthday. And secondly, I think it is a fabulous name for my many many many friends who are pregnant. :)
Oh and I will post more on our anniversary and his birthday when we have a working computer soon, and can upload pictures from my camera.:)
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