As I was reading my devotional the other day, I was struck by what the Lord said to Moses in Deuteronomy 32:51-52, ´Although from a distance you will view the land that I am giving the Israelites, you will not go there, because you trespassed against Me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kedesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not hallow me in the midst of the children of Israel.”

Moses was the man that God raised up to lead the people out of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 3). The man that used the rod of God to part the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus 14). The man that God spoke face to face as a man speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11). The man that God gave the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). The man that prayed to God for mercy for the people even when they rebelled against his leadership (Exodus 33).

Do we get the picture of how the Lord used Moses in these few of many verses that I have listed? YET, one of the saddest verses is the one in Deuteronomy 32:52. “you did not hallow Me in the midst of the children.”

Just think of how many times we as His children have trespassed (sinned) against the Lord when He was very clear about something that we needed to do or stop doing. We just rebel and don’t obey. What a challenge to be vigilant by the power of the Holy Spirit to obey quickly and completely when the Lord speaks. Moses was so close to crossing over but was having to look from a distance. Are we just looking from a distance, but not crossing over into the power filled promises of the Lord. We may be saying, “it is just one small thing, and it doesn’t really matter.” It does to God!

Joy,

Phyllis