~Old Testament Scenarios~
Deuteronomy
“Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it." Deuteronomy 34:4 (NIV)
“What to do With our Disappointments”
Moses, friend of God, who spoke with God, the same man who saw the glory of the Lord (at the age of 120), climbs all the way up to the summit of Mt. Nebo just to be told he was not permitted to enter. Was this a case of dangling “a carrot” in front of Moses, to then only snatch it away? Have we ever thought God works like that? I have to wonder if anywhere in his heart he was thinking this mountain should be called the “Mt. of No Return” or “Mt. at Crossroads of a Man's Life”. Because behind Moses waited the beloved children of Israel he had emancipated out from Egypt (and the desert of which they wandered for 40 years). Ahead of Moses laid the Promised Land they had all journeyed and longed for, into which Moses knew he was being denied entrance.
I have to think that possibly he had a profound anguish, or at least twinge of disappointment with being forbidden to lead these people on their spiritual walk across the Jordon River to possess their God-given future inheritance, even if it were for a second. Again, the Bible is silent with any details of how Moses might have felt; we just know he died right then and there.
As Moses ascended to the peak of the ridge, he was a man who knew he did not do this alone. His Father in Heaven walked beside him giving him the grace to face this threshold of accepting his mission and purpose were now in their final moments. Moses was given “dying grace”. His service to the Lord had been completed and because of his own sin of misrepresenting God by the waters of Meribah, I believe he must have accepted God's will in being denied this one last desire to go with the others into the land. I have to think God let him understand that he was going to a better land, one better than the one that laid ahead of him filled with milk and honey. It is always true that God’s grace will lead a person to acceptance when there is a difficult task to do.
How about you? Have you longed for and been journeying quite a long time towards something? Has your Father in heaven not answered your prayers the way you had hoped for? Maybe it's the desire for a child, marriage, a handicap to be removed, a certain job or ministry. Has your heart become waxed cold toward Him? Has a root of bitterness been lying right under the surface as you quietly think God has been unfair and even mean towards you? You have a High Priest in Jesus Christ who understands, so cry out to Him. Surrender the pain, the doubts, the anger and allow the Holy Spirit entrance in those deep disappointments and resentments. You will grow if you allow God to use even the hard things of your life!
We just can’t see the significant work behind this denial from the Lord. I know for me, it's hard not to have "tunnel vision" when the pain pierces the soul. But, we can never put God’s ways in some kind of box so we can explain everything away- He wouldn’t be God then! It's hard to look up to trust and accept that God is going to bring about a greater end either for you or for someone else...but always, always, “a better end” for His Kingdom and glory. He knows what you feel and he gives you the extra grace to move in and through it, so that you will come out strengthened by it. Remember, we were given a glimpse of Moses as he was with Jesus on that Mt. of Transfiguration in his glorious resurrected body, what hope we have!
Will you be like Moses, as you survey the landscape of your life and as you face those crossroads, will you put the full weight of your trust into your Father's care? God did not leave Moses disappointed as his eyes took in the full sweep of the Promised Land; in fact, He gave him eyes set with a vision into eternity. The Friend and Lord of Moses, carried His precious child off to an even better Promised Land...he was given the inheritance of fellowship with his Creator forever and ever throughout eternity. Hebrew for "The Eternal God" is El OLAM, for He is our everlasting God that we can put our trust in.
This is your day; God has given it to you. What will you do with it? While facing the crossroads in your life and as you step out from the past, are you ready to accept God's will for your future with great delight and fully surrendered? Trust the Lord for the significant work He will do through your life!