SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“‘I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’ Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them… When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.'” [John 21:18-22] Peter hears that he is going to die, and then sees John (the disciple Jesus loved), and asks, ‘what about him?’
Peter has served the Lord with distinction, though he did deny the Lord in the end. Jesus reaffirms Peter here in John 21, but still Peter will not get the glorious future he wanted [Matthew 19:27]. John on the other hand lived a long life. Could Moses have been wondering the same thing about Joshua? He is not going to enter the land, but Joshua is? In the end, it’s not about ‘what we get’ but about Who we follow? We are servants of God – He will determine the unfolding purpose of our lives. Whether we live long or short, whether we live with worldly wealth or poverty, whether we are single or married, whether we live in the wealthy west or in impoverished parts of the world, that is for the Lord to decide.
Moses served the Lord’s purpose. That purpose did not include entering the land. Peter served the Lord’s purpose. That purpose did not include a long, easy life. We may plead with the Lord for a different lot in life. We may point to others and say, ‘what about them?’ But the Lord will say to us, ‘what is that to you… You follow me!’ Moses and Peter serve as reminders to us that the Lord’s mission is greater than our temporal ease or happiness. Both of them inherited an eternal inheritance [1 Peter 1:3-7]. But the outcome of this life was not what they might have wished.
We may not be happy with how the Lord has allotted life to us. We can grumble, we can plead, we can refuse, we can give up… or we can follow Him, and allow Him to work out His purpose for us. As Jesus-followers, we admit that our life may not go as we would hope. But when we surrender to Him and His purpose, our life will go as He intends. And He will accomplish more through our lives than we could ever ask or imagine!
PRAYER:
Lord, help me not to whine about my life, or envy others. Help me to be the best me that I can be for You, following You on whatever path You provide.
I believe God did let Moses enter into the Promised Land.
What did the Lord say to Moses …
“Go to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.” v.27
“for you shall not cross over this Jordan” … “this Jordan”
Moses did not cross over the earthly Jordan but he would cross over the Jordan rivers of his own earthly death and enter into the eternal, perfect, abundant Promised Land that is the one and same Promised Land that awaits us all.
Moses in his career as leader over the nation of Israel had to deal with a stubborn and obstinate people. God in His ever gracious and Fatherly wisdom and love knows what is best for His children. Moses saw the fulfillment of God’s true promise to Abraham. Moses did not have to enter into this physical land and see the battle, the slaughter the removing of nations. God said “Enough! Speak to Me no more of this matter” vs 26.
The Lord said it was enough for Moses. Moses had endured enough. The Lord had higher plans for Moses. Moses was able to take the express route to the Promised Land – the Lord had other plans for the nation of Israel – their route would be much longer and still await fulfillment until the time of Christ.
The Lord knows best.
Our response is to merely trust Him.
Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!
And the Lord said to me, Do not be afraid . . . and it came to pass as the Lord had said. They saw all what the Lord had done with their own eyes – God fighting for them – His goodness – His promises fulfilled.
Although we pray, Your will be done, just like Moses, we desire it my way. He was not allowed to enter, but God did let him see the land. God does not grant us all we may ask or seek. He knows what is best. I need to be able to see His workings in the daily affairs of my life. I must be a Jesus follower this day and all the days of my life as I work in His presence.
All that I am I owe to Thee,
Thy wisdom, Lord, has fashioned me;
I give my Maker thankful praise,
Whose wondrous works my soul amaze.
Ere into being I was brought,
Thine eye did see, and in Thy thought
My life in all its perfect plan
Was ordered ere my days began.
Search me, O God, my heart discern,
Try me, my inmost thought to learn;
And lead me, if in sin I stray,
To choose the everlasting way.