4-31pm
There are things in this life that we will only understand in the next one. Each of us have to learn this. One of the first people in the Bible to see the whole process through, to have a dream, to see it shattered, to die and to find out the answer in the next life was Moses. This weekend I have read the heart-wrenching passage in Deuteronomy 3. Moses has spent 40 years working on a project. His job is to take charge of hundreds of thousands of Israelites and move them out of Egypt to Israel. His greatest desire was to see the job through to the end and actually see and experience the land first hand. But God said ‘no.’ Moses PLEADS with God (Deut 3:23) and the Lord responds, ‘That is enough! Do not speak to me any more on the matter.’ (vs 29). Moses sees the land from the top of a mountain but after that commissions Joshua to complete the task.
What a blow.
We all have disappointments in life. I have, thus far, gone through my life pretty unscathed. I have not lost jobs or businesses, had a failed marriage or failed to fall pregnant. For me the worst thing in the world would be to either not have had children or to lose one. There are people in my circle who have. I have seen friends try desperately for years to fall pregnant and to never have children, never adopt, remain childless until their death. A door closed. A heart-wrenching disappointment with no solution. I have watched friends grieving the loss of a child. Insurmountable pain. So much heartache. Devastating circumstances. Lifelong questions. Why? I don’t know. But as I read this account of God saying ‘No’ to Moses, I was again reminded that this life is only half the story. There is more to come.
If I had to write to Moses, I would have said, ‘Dear Moses, Don’t worry! I come to you from 21st Century! I’ve read the rest of the story. You DO get to see the promised land! It all turns out okay! Don’t grieve. Don’t be downhearted. God has got it all under control! You just need to keep believing God, keep trusting God. Remain steadfast and keep the faith. ‘
One day when Jesus was on earth, He went up a mountain to pray, taking with Him three witnesses, Peter, John & James. In Luke 9 we read the incredible account of how while He was praying, the appearance of His face changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightening. Next, two men appeared ‘in glorious splendour‘ and they were MOSES & Elijah. They spoke to Jesus about His upcoming departure. MOSES was there IN THE PROMISED LAND, in glorious splendour with Jesus. It doesn’t get better than that.
One hundred years from now, it’s guaranteed that every single person reading this will have crossed the divide from this life to the next. The problems you face in this life will be over. Answers to the questions you have asked God will be revealed to you. Your new life will begin and you too will be able to speak to Jesus. It’s going to happen, so be ready. You may wonder how you can be ready. There is only ONE GOD and that is JESUS CHRIST. I put it in bold because I want to emphasize it is not Allah, not Buddah, not Nothing, Only Jesus Christ. He is God. And there is only ONE criteria for you to have eternal life :- BELIEVE!
Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
Simple. Faith.
‘So don’t worry! I’ve read the rest of the story. It all turns out okay! Don’t grieve. Don’t be downhearted. God has got it all under control! You just need to keep believing God, keep trusting God. Remain steadfast and keep the faith. ‘
Today at church, we prayed for Jo as she leaves for Malawi on Wednesday…
Godspeed Jo!Shortly we are meeting with friends, so I had better go and see to Granny.
Let the new week begin!
God bless you!
In His Safe, Eternal Grip,
Helga xx 🙂