Portion for Reading Judges 1-4Msg: Judges 1:11-15
A Faith-Filled Daughter
Like father, like daughter. Acsah seemed to possess the boldness that characterized her father. The first thing she does when she marries Othniel, is to ask her husband to request a field from her father Caleb, who presumably controlled the land outside of the city of Debir proper. (The Septuagint, on the contrary, indicates that Othniel asked Acsah to ask her father). But she doesn't wait for her request to go through channels. As soon as she sees here father, while alighting from her donkey, Caleb can see that she has something on her mind (perhaps Othniel has warned him that she wants the field), so Caleb asks her, "What can I do for you."
"She replied, 'Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev [desert], give me also the springs of water.' So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs" (15:19). What good is arid land without water. If she was going to live there, she needed water. So she came boldly to her father and asks for what she needs. And he grants it to her without a quarrel.
Caleb knows the LORD and the LORD'S willingness to fulfill his promises. And Acsah knows her father and doesn't hesitate to ask for what she needs. She knows he will grant it. That, too, is faith. When we know our Father, we aren't afraid to ask for what we need, for we know that he loves us and delights in blessing us.
A Faith-Filled Heritage
We, too, like Caleb, Othniel, and Acsah, are part of a faith-filled family of God's people throughout the ages. Exemplars of faith are found on the pages of the Bible -- as well as among the mature men and women in our churches. For our children, and for the next generation, you and I are the exemplars of faith. We are the ones who need to take hold of God with a tenacious boldness and not let go, that we might raise up children in the faith after us.
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...." (Hebrews 12:1-2a, KJV)