Thought for the Day – Tuesday 19th May
Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 34: 1-12:
‘Then Moses went up from the
plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho,
and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the
land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the
Negeb, and the Plain -that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees - as
far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’;
I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then
Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s
command. He was buried in a valley in the
land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but
no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years
old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The
Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of
mourning for Moses was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of
wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him,
doing as the Lord had commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet
in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequalled for
all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of
Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all
the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed
in the sight of all Israel.’
I don’t know about you but the first emotion which springs to my mind
when I read this passage is one of pity, followed closely by a deep sadness for
Moses – it is a poignant story. After
all this one hundred and twenty year old Moses has been through in leading the
Israelites around that wilderness for forty years, listening to their moans and
groans, watching them go astray, pleading to God for them when they continually
disobey God, working so hard to bring them repeatedly back into righteousness
with God and keep them on the straight and narrow he eventually gets to see the
Promised Land God and he have been leading them to but then does not get to
cross over into it. Such a faithful servant of God, someone who has been in
God’s presence, who has seen God and lived, who reaches the age of one hundred
and twenty and still has vigour and unimpaired eyesight yet he does not get to
cross over into that Promised Land.
However, maybe our emotion should not be one of pity or sadness for
Moses but rather one of admiration because right from way back in the story of
the Israelite exodus Moses already knew he was never going to get to cross over
yet still he faithfully led them to the Promised Land.
Remember the striking of the rock by Moses’ staff to bring forth water
for the grumbling Israelites and their livestock?
Well after that incident God says to Moses “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes
of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land
that I have given them.” (Numbers 20: 12)
Even knowing this Moses was still obedient to God and had faith in him
throughout the journey. So, really then we should not pity Moses not being able
to cross over because for Moses to see the Promised Land must have felt like a
profound gift to him, for in seeing it his hopes, faith, dreams and convictions
were all confirmed.
In some situations, perhaps even now during this time of coronavirus
our trust in God may waver just as Moses’ did when he was confronted by those
angry Israelites.
However, notice Moses did not turn from God because he was told that he
would not be going into the Promised Land, rather he turned even more to God;
he did put his trust in him and led God’s people through the wilderness to
their Promised Land. He held on to the hope and the promise and in obedience to
God he served him faithfully to the very end.
So don’t let your trust waver in this difficult time, do as Moses did
turn ever more to God, hold on to the hope and promise we have in Jesus; trust
in the Spirit of God which was promised to us by Jesus when we love him and
live a life of love and we too will be guided through this time of wilderness
to see our hopes and dreams realised.
Prayer
Loving Lord,
Your presence inspires and consoles and your promise continues from
generation to generation. Come among us now in Spirit and continue to inspire
us that we might live in your promise. Come and touch our lives with a love
that reaches beyond emotion. Come enable us to live out your love that we may
serve you faithfully and in obedience to your will. Amen
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