But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.’ (Deut 3:28).
Moses had messed up. Forbidden to enter the Promised Land, Moses would have to encourage and strengthen his predecessor. God's orders. Ouch.
Do you think Moses and Joshua were good friends?
I have to wonder how I would treat, even look at, Joshua. What if you knew you messed up, you were sorry, and yet everyday you had to encourage the man who would reap your reward. You had faced insecurity. You had traveled. You had sacrificed. You had wanted to strangle the crazy Israelites. You had invested. Forties years worth of hard work.
When we look at the situation in our flesh, you and I could agree that it would be a battle to be obedient. I'm sure Moses did struggle. He was flesh. It was a tough blow.
On the other hand, Moses knew the God he served. I believe Moses understood that God was God. That he had no rights of his own. He didn't deserve to enter the Promise Land because of all the good and hard things he did for God. He was obedient to God. Not working for pay.
I get that wrong.
In my backwards mindset, God owes me. {Get real, Jennifer. He doesn't}
He is God. I'm not.
In His mercy, He has been so good to me. His love, never reserved, is for me (and you). When we understand His bigness, we can finally rest in our smallness. I'm learning, slowly but surely, to get over myself. Many of us have learned, not with words mind you, that He was created for us, instead of us for/by Him.
Wrong...
There are times God ask us to do things that do not seem fair.
Obedience can be hard.
Life is not fair.
Knowing and trusting who He is helps.
...so I'm learning. {Sloooooowly}
Hint: God, in His gracious mercy, allowed Moses a glimpse. (Deuteronomy 3:23-29) And you know, I believe God tended to Moses heart the way only He can.
In His Name,
Jennifer
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